Taxi fare hike paused as Windsor panel rethinks minimum ‘flag fall‘ charge and people carrier prices
- Perry Richardson
- 10 hours ago
- 2 min read
A proposed increase to hackney carriage fares in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead has been referred back to councillors after officers declined to implement the change following public objections.
A report going before the borough’s Licensing Panel on 9 February 2026 sets out plans to raise Tariff 1 fares by 10 percent, alongside an increase in the minimum fare from £6 to £7, while leaving Tariff 2 unchanged.
The increase had originally been agreed by the Licensing Panel in October 2025, subject to a statutory 14 day public consultation. That consultation generated three objections, prompting the Assistant Director of Housing and Public Protection to withdraw from exercising delegated powers and refer the matter back to elected members for a final decision.
Objectors argued the proposed rise was unjustified and could deter passengers from using taxis, with one objection also challenging the Equality Impact Assessment attached to the earlier decision. Officers say those concerns have since been addressed in a revised assessment included with the February report.
Licensing panel to take final decision on 10 percent Tariff 1 increase and disputed people carrier minimum fares after objections
Alongside the fare increase, councillors are being asked to clarify how minimum fares should apply to Tariff 1b and Tariff 2b, which apply to people carrier vehicles carrying five or more passengers. These tariffs already carry a 50 percent surcharge on the standard rate, introduced in 2022 to reflect longer loading times and higher operating costs for larger vehicles.
Officers say the original intention was that the minimum fare should remain the same across all vehicles, with only the mileage and time rates subject to the 50 percent uplift. Some drivers, however, believe the minimum fare itself should also be 50 percent higher, a position officers describe as excessive and unfair to passengers, even where fares are split across larger groups.
The report sets out two main options. The recommended approach would see Tariff 1 rise by 10 percent, lifting the minimum fare to £7 for all vehicles, with Tariff 1b increasing in line with the base tariff but without an additional uplift to the minimum charge. A second option, favoured by parts of the trade, would apply a 50 percent higher minimum fare to Tariff 1b and 2b, raising the minimum charge for larger vehicles to £10.50 under Tariff 1b and £13.50 under Tariff 2b.
If approved, the changes would come into effect immediately following the panel decision, subject to the time required for authorised engineers to update vehicle taximeters.
