Somerset Council proposes 10% rise to taxi fares and unique new £10 booking fee option to cover dead mileage
- Perry Richardson
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
Somerset Council has launched proposals to increase the maximum fares that hackney carriage taxis can charge, including a 10% uplift to distance and waiting time charges and the introduction of a discretionary booking fee of up to £10 for pre-booked journeys.
The authority, which has the power to set the maximum metered fares charged by licensed hackney carriages, said the proposed changes follow a survey of licensed proprietors in which 59% of respondents supported some form of fare increase. The current maximum fares have been in place since May 2024. Drivers would continue to be free to charge less than the published maximum rates.
Under the proposals, the standard maximum tariff would increase from £4.60 to £5.06 for the first mile, while each additional tenth of a mile would rise from 30p to 33p. The maximum waiting time charge would also increase from £1.00 to £1.10 for every completed two minutes.
A new discretionary booking fee of up to £10 is also proposed for pre-booked journeys. Somerset Council said the measure is intended to encourage drivers to accept bookings in rural areas, where they may need to travel significant distances before reaching a passenger.
The Council is not proposing any changes to the existing percentage multipliers for evening, weekend or public holiday journeys, or for trips involving more than four passengers. It also intends to retain the current maximum soiling charge, along with provisions allowing drivers to recover toll and clean air zone charges where applicable.
The proposed changes are intended to reflect inflationary pressures and changes in fuel costs since the current fare table was introduced. If approved following the statutory consultation process, the revised fare structure would set the new maximum charges that licensed hackney carriage drivers across Somerset can apply.
Councillor Federica Smith-Roberts, Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Communities, said: “Hackney carriages provide an important service for communities across Somerset, helping people get to work, medical appointments, shops and other essential destinations.
“The proposed changes seek to balance the rising costs faced by drivers with the need to keep fares fair for passengers. The maximum fares set the upper limit that licensed taxi drivers can charge, but individual taxi businesses remain free to set their rates below those levels. Under the legal process for setting hackney carriage fares, the Council must consider any objections received before a final decision is made
“If no objections are received, the proposed table of fares will take effect automatically.”
