Proposed Licensed Hackney Carriage (Taxi) Fares - May 2023
Have your say
Consultation status ArchivedActivity closed. Results published.
Background
Under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 Section 65 Hackney Carriage Fares, we're undertaking a two-week statutory consultation prior to making any amendments to the Licensed Hackney Carriage (Taxi) fares. The proposal to amend the fares was discussed at the Licensing Committee on Monday, 23 January 2023 and the meeting of the Executive Committee on Thursday, 23 March 2023.
It has been agreed that, as of 2024 the review of fares will be aligned to the financial year to assist the trade with their financial planning. Due to the timing of the request this has not been possible in the financial year beginning April 2023, and it was instead agreed that the review should be completed by the end of July 2023 at the latest.
The current fares, agreed in July 2022, can be viewed on the Public Protection Partnership website.
What we are proposing
To make amendments to the Licensed Hackney Carriage (Taxi) fares. The proposed changes are as follows:
| Current | Proposed | |
Tariff 1 Any journey with 1-4 passengers Applies for any hiring when journey commences between 06:00 and 21:59 Monday to Saturday (Excluding Bank Holidays, Public Holidays,24th,25th,26th,31st December and 1st January) | For the first 1489.235 yards or 264 seconds (whichever is reached first) £5.00 For each subsequent 135.385 yards or every 24 seconds (whichever is reached first) 20p Waiting time per hour £30.00 | For the first 1340.307 yards £5.00 For each subsequent 243.692 yards 40p Waiting time per hour £33.00 |
Tariff 1b Any journey with 5 or more passengers Applies for any hiring when journey commences between 06:00 and 21:59 Monday to Saturday (Excluding Bank Holidays, Public Holidays,24th,25th,26th,31st December and 1st January) | For the first 1489.235 yards or 264 seconds (whichever is reached first) £7.50 For each subsequent 135.385 yards or every 24 seconds (whichever is reached first) 30p Waiting time per hour £45.00 | For the first 1340.307 yards £7.50 For each subsequent 243.692 yards 60p Waiting time per hour £49.50 |
Tariff 2 Any journey with 1-4 passengers Applies for any hiring when journey commences between 22:00 and 05:59 Monday to Saturday, 06.00 and 21.59 Sundays, bank holidays, and public holidays, between 06:00 and 23.59 on 24th,26th and 31st December. | For the first 1489.235 yards or 264 seconds (whichever is reached first) £7.50 For each subsequent 135.385 yards or every 24 seconds (whichever is reached first) 30p Waiting time per hour £45.00 | For the first 1340.307 yards £7.50 For each subsequent 243.692 yards 60p Waiting time per hour £49.50 |
Tariff 2b Any journey with 5 or more passengers Applies for any hiring when journey commences between 22:00 and 05:59 Monday to Saturday, 06.00 and 21.59 Sundays, bank holidays, and public holidays, between 06:00 and 23.59 on 24th,26th and 31st December. | For the first 1489.235 yards or 264 seconds (whichever is reached first) £11.25 For each subsequent 135.385 yards or every 24 seconds (whichever is reached first) 45p Waiting time per hour £67.50 | For the first 1340.307 yards £11.25 For each subsequent 243.692 yards 90p Waiting time per hour £74.25 |
Tariff 3 Any journey with 1-4 passengers Applies for any hiring hiring when the journey commences between: 00.00 and 23.59 on 25th December; 00.00 and 05:59 on 26th December; 00.00 and 05:59 on 1st January | For the first 1489.235 yards or 264 seconds (whichever is reached first) £10.00 For each subsequent 135.385 yards or every 24 seconds (whichever is reached first) 40p Waiting time per hour £60.00 | For the first 1340.307 yards £10.00 For each subsequent 243.692 yards 80p Waiting time per hour £66.00 |
Tariff 3b Any journey with 5 or more passengers Applies for any hiring hiring when the journey commences between: 00.00 and 23.59 on 25th December; 00.00 and 05:59 on 26th December; 00.00 and 05:59 on 1st January | For the first 1489.235 yards or 264 seconds (whichever is reached first) £15.00 For each subsequent 135.385 yards or every 24 seconds (whichever is reached first) 60p Waiting time per hour £90.00 | For the first 1340.307 yards £15.00 For each subsequent 243.692 yards 120p Waiting time per hour £99.00 |
| Extra Charges | If a hackney carriage is booked by telephone, text, email or other electronic means a booking fee may be charged by prior arrangement only Congestion Charge, Ultra Low Emission Zone, or any tolls will be applied for any journey where such charges or tolls are incurred. These charges would not appear on the meter. A charge for "fouling" was introduced, meaning that passengers who soiled the interior or exterior of a taxi could be charged. Interior - maximum £75 Exterior - maximum £25 | If a hackney carriage is booked by telephone, text, email or other electronic means a booking fee may be charged by prior arrangement only Congestion Zone Charges, Tolls or similar will be applied for any journey where such charges or tolls are incurred. Fouling charge to be retained and charged at: Interior - maximum £100 Exterior - maximum £25 |
Customers should be aware that these charges are the maximum to be charged, and any lesser fare agreed prior to commencement of the journey must still be applied.
Where the taxi is used for pre-booked journeys, "the fare or charge shall be calculated from the point in the district at which the hirer commences his journey." (Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 sec. 67)
You can view the Proposed Fare Table for Saloon cars online [95KB]
You can view the Proposed Fare Table for Multi Seater Vehicles online [100KB]
Why we want your views
We're committed to balancing the legitimate aims of the taxi trade to maintain profitability in the face of increasing costs, while protecting the public from excessive fares. The issue of setting fares for hackney carriage drivers is an important one for two reasons: the fare set by the licensing authority largely determines the ability of drivers to earn a decent living, but also aims to ensure that passengers receive a fair deal when taking a journey in a licensed hackney carriage. We'd therefore welcome your views in order to ensure that we are balancing these two objectives.
How to take part
If you'd like to comment on the proposed fares, you can do so by either completing the online form below, or sending your views by email to PPPConsultations@westberks.gov.uk, or by post to Mr Sean Murphy, Public Protection Manager, Public Protection Partnership, Theale Library, Church Street, Theale, Berkshire RG7 5BZ
The consultation is open until 5pm on Thursday, 25 May 2023.
If you have any questions about the survey, please contact PPPConsultations@westberks.gov.uk
For general enquiries about Taxi and private hire licences, please visit our webpage
What happens next
If no objections are received, or any such objections are subsequently withdrawn, the revised table of fares will come into operation from Friday, 26 May 2023.
If objections are received and not subsequently withdrawn, the matter will be discussed by elected Members at the Executive meeting on 8 June 2023, who will make a decision on implementation. Should the Executive Committee approve implementation, the revised table of fares will then come into operation no later than Monday, 24 July 2023.
What you told us
What we did
The Executive will also need to decide when the table of fares comes into effect, with or without modification. This must be by 24 July 2023 in accordance with the requirements under s.65 Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976. Officers are proposing that this be 19 June 2023 which should give the trade time to have their meters recalibrated, should this be needed. We will write to the taxi trade and the meter companies and advise them of the outcome of the consultation and publish this document on our website.
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