Sizeable Exeter taxi fare rise proposal includes higher starting rates and mileage increases
- Perry Richardson
- 5 hours ago
- 2 min read
Exeter City Council’s Executive has agreed to launch a new public consultation on updated Hackney Carriage fare proposals that would raise starting tariffs and per-mile rates across all time bands. The consultation will run from 6 November to 20 November 2025, following a request from the Exeter St Davids Hackney Carriage Association.
The review follows a consultation earlier this year which was not completed within the statutory two-month period set under Section 65 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976. Comments already received will be carried forward and considered alongside new submissions.
Under the revised proposals, daytime Tariff 1 would see the flag drop rise from £2.70 to £3.80, with a two-mile journey increasing from £7.50 to £9.50. Tariff 2, covering evening and Sunday journeys, would move from £3.20 to £4.60, with the same two-mile trip costing £11.80. Tariff 3, which applies on bank holidays and festive dates, would increase from £4.00 to £5.00, bringing a two-mile journey to £13.55. The proposals also include new luggage charges and remove Tariff 4 entirely.
If approved, Exeter would have the highest two-mile fare in Devon at £9.50, up from the current £7.50, placing it around tenth nationally according to Private Hire and Taxi Monthly. Plymouth’s comparable two-mile fare currently stands at £8.10, while East Devon’s is £8.69.
Council officers note that the fare table represents the maximum rates drivers can charge, and that market competition may result in lower prices in practice. The report highlights that maintaining viable fares supports a stable taxi trade and helps sustain the city’s low-emission taxi fleet.
A statutory notice will be published in a local newspaper and on the council’s website. Responses can be submitted via email or post until 20 November 2025. If no objections are received, the new fares could come into effect soon after.
