Taxi Driver Online

Came across this brief news article the other day. Couldn't be bothered looking into it at the time, but it's one of those that you just know will turn out to be complete bullocks. For a start, I wondered whether by 'taxi' they meant any kind of for hire vehicle, or just HCs, or whatever, because on first impression the figures just didn't ring true. Anyway...


Bradford cheapest for average taxis fares in UK says study

https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/ ... ays-study/

BRADFORD is the cheapest place in the UK to catch a taxi, according to a study.

A new study of taxi fares around the world, conducted by The Taxi Centre, has shed light on the cost of cabs across the UK. Bradford is the cheapest place in the UK to catch a taxi, new research has revealed.

Comparing the average prices of a taxi across the UK for a 5km journey, the research found that Bradford has the lowest price, at £3.75, while Ipswich came in second at £4.35.

Notably, the rest of the top 10 list are all located in the North of England, with each of these places having rates below £5 for a 5km journey. This includes Huddersfield in joint second with £4.35.

Leeds was ranked joint third with four other cities with a charge of £4.65.

In comparison, the most expensive rate for a 5km in the UK was in Bedford, at £13.45.

Anyway, decided to have a look round earlier, but couldn't find any other outlet carrying a similar regional article, but there is a related article on TaxiPoint. There are a couple of articles on the Taxi Centre's website in its News section, but no specific list of figures that can be related back to the stuff on the Bradford Telegraph's website, or a related list of fares on TaxiPoint

Anyhow, first odd thing is why they've gone for a 5km trip? Er, I mean, who measures these things in the UK in Kms? I can see why the might ignore the 2 mile trip because PHTM's tariff analysis is based on that, but why 5kms? Which is, incidentally, just over 3 miles. Why not just use 3 miles?

In turn, however, that should demonstrate why the figures are nonsense. So they're saying a three mile run in Bradford comes to £3.75? Oh, my aching sides

I mean, according to PHTM, Bradford is £5.60 for the two-mile trip, thus for three miles it must be at least £7, surely?

https://www.phtm.co.uk/taxi-fares-leagu ... 2&filter=B

In fact, the Bradford Council tariff card is usefully in metres (for a change), and I work the 5km run out as just over £7, which sounds reasonable. So where did the £3.75 figure come from?

https://www.bradford.gov.uk/media/5398/ ... -11-18.pdf

Likewise, the Taxi Centre says Bedford is the highest in the UK for the 5kms, at £13.45. Which again is about three miles, while the PHTM link above shows that Bedford is £6.80 for the two miles. So the next one mile costs £6.65?

https://www.bedford.gov.uk/media/1687/download?inline

In fact, I worked out the Bedford running mile as only £1.60, and for the 5km (rounding to 3 miles) a rough count comes to something like £7.40, which again is consistent with PHTM's £6.80 for the two miles.

(Doubt if anyone has the time or inclination to check my figures, but look at the Bedford tariff card and after the modest £3.40 for half-a-mile flag, it's clocking up 10p for each 110 yards. There's 1,760 yards in a mile, so that works out at 16 x 10p for the running mile, so £1.60, which is cheap as chips.)

Then there's this table in the Taxi Point article, which at least kind of confirms that it's all about HC tariffs, because the article says: "The starting fare of taxis is decided by the local authorities in each area and differs depending on location, time of day, and journey distance.":

https://www.taxi-point.co.uk/post/new-s ... ing-prices



Anyway, I'd just looked at the Bradford card before looking at that, and the flag there is £2

So why isn't it on the table above? So Bradford isn't on the flagfall table when it should be, and we're told total nonsense about the 5km run there

Also had a quick look for Leeds, and it's £2.60 flag on the council's website, as opposed to £2.20 above.

https://www.leeds.gov.uk/licensing/taxi ... taxi-aware
(Open the Fares tab about halfway down the page.)

Anyway, that's far enough down the rabbit hole for me, but if that's just a selection of figures, who knows what checking the whole lot might come up with??

In fact, the TaxiPoint article credits the table above here below, but I can't see any sign of the table via the link. Maybe they've decided to pull a lot of it

Table credit: https://www.thetaxicentre.com/news/5-ti ... axi-fares/

But the piece is aimed at the public, and is all about helping them save money on fares

Again, another potential rabbit hole, but a quick skim reveals this gem:




All that may be how it works in some locations, but I'd put money on that being incorrect in, um, at least 300 areas

But apart from all that, I'm sure it's a great study

That's a trip of over three miles.

The PHTM tables show only eight areas below £5 for the two-mile run.

https://www.phtm.co.uk/newspaper/taxi-f ... gue-tables

I don't believe there are actually any areas in the UK with the 5km/3.2 mile run clocking below £5

our flag is £1.90 but we aren't on that table either

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Not surprised when you have a starting rate from Victorian times.

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IDFIMH

I've always been a fan, and customer, of the Taxi Centre.

But they should keep to selling cars to the taxi/PH trade and stop trying to be a source of knowledge.

Because they are good with cars, IMO, but made to look like numpties with the other.

_________________
IDFIMH

But, and correct me if I'm wrong, you could set your flag at £19.00 as long as you register it with the council?