Taxi Driver Online

This is a bit like the Stirling piece earlier today - a lot of the narrative reads like a tariff card

Some other stuff, though, that might be of interest...


How much maximum Somerset taxi fares will rise in September

https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk ... september/

The maximum rates which can be charged by Somerset taxi drivers will rise in September, Somerset Council has confirmed.


Image: Steven Salter/Somerset County Gazette

Under Section 65 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, the council can fix the maximum fares charged by taxi drivers who are licensed to work in Somerset - with operators having the option to vary those fares downwards to promote competition.

The council's licensing team carried out a consultation in May, asking taxi companies and vehicle owners about whether increases should be implemented in light of rising fuel and associated costs.

The council's executive committee is expected to approves these increases on Wednesday (September 2), with the changes coming into effect before the end of September.

Under the new charging regime, the standard fare will be £5.06 for any journey of up to one mile and 33p for any additional tenth of that mile completed or partially completed.

Passengers will also be charged £1.10 for every two full minutes of waiting time (such as sitting in congestion, or waiting as a passenger visits a location before resuming their journey).

Drivers can implement a 50 per cent increase for journeys between 10pm and 7am on weekdays, for journeys at weekends, and when carrying five or more passengers between 7am and 10pm on weekdays.

A 100 per cent increase can also be charged when carrying five or more passengers between 10pm and 7am on weekdays, when carrying five or more passengers at weekends, on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve between 6pm and midnight, and on public holidays (including Christmas Day and bank holidays).

Passengers will be charged £100 for soiling the vehicle (i.e. where cleaning is required before further hire) and a £10 booking fee when hire is pre-arranged.

They will also be required to pay the full costs of any tolls (such as journeys on the M6 toll road) or clean air zone charges (such as journeys into the centre of Bath).

Passengers can negotiate a specific fare with their driver before any given journey starts, after which the driver is unable to charge them a higher amount.

Nearly 150 companies and vehicle owners responded to the consultation in May, of which nearly one third (32 per cent) predominately operate within the former Taunton Deane area (which includes Taunton, Wellington and Wiveliscombe).

Of those that responded, 58 per cent said they always or usually charged the maximum fee - but 52 per cent said that the current fares did not reflect their operating costs, and 43 per cent said the existing fares were not "financially sustainable".

When asked for their views on the proposed increases, 59 per cent were in favour of the increases while 30 per cent were against.

More than half (54 per cent) said they were concerned that fare increases would impact on demand, with 58 per cent stating their passengers regularly commented on the affordability (or otherwise) of their journeys.

Drivers' regular concerns raised through the consultation included rising operating costs (including fuel and insurance), passenger affordability, and competition from app-based private hire services (such as Uber).

John Rendell, a senior officer within the council's licensing team, said in his written report: "The council fixes the maximum rate that can be charged by taxi drivers, leaving room for competition in the marketplace and customers to negotiate lower fares.

"Varying the maximum fares at periodic intervals supports a viable licensed taxi trade, ensuring continued availability of accessible, safe and reliable transport.

"The current maximum was implemented in May 2024. Since then, operating costs and the cost of living have increased significantly.

"The majority [of taxi operators] support a fare increase, with a need to balance trade viability and passenger affordability. Respondents highlighted the importance of regular, structured fare reviews."

The average cost of a two-mile journey within the Somerset Council area is currently £7.60 - higher than the England and Wales average of £7.46.

The proposed increase will move this average cost to £8.60 - the third highest within the south west (excluding Cornwall), behind only Exeter (£9.50) and East Devon (£8.70).

The council's executive committee is expected to approve the increase when it meets in Taunton on Wednesday (September 2) - with the new rates due to come into effect by September 19.

Photo above is apparently a rank in Taunton - bit of a mishmash of vehicle types and sizes, as should be evident from the photo

But that's a Skoda Rapid in the photo - must be pretty tiny inside. My Octavia is on the snug side, and not sure I'd allow anything smaller than that as a 4-seater. I'm assuming the Rapid is smaller inside, but maybe it's Tardis-like

https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk ... es/6887440

Doesn't the best practice guidance say that kind of thing shouldn't be encouraged, particularly at taxi ranks because of 'security' issues?

Of course, I think the guidance more broadly is consistent with what's stated above. But maybe DfT officials (or whoever) have in their head this neat and tidy distinction between the ranks and the market more generally, which just doesn't really exist in reality

That's an interesting and unusual question to ask. But it could mean anything - I mean, which HCD has never charged less than clock

And I'd guess it's different at or away from the ranks. But I'd bet the question didn't encompass that particular nuance

That second charge in particular doesn't look right, at least as a fixed fee as portrayed.

And, indeed, it's a bit more nuanced according to the council bumph - it's a new charge, and not on the current tariff card:


So it's discretionary, and a maximum as opposed to a fixed sum

Who'd have guessed it wouldn't be a fixed £10?

Interesting also that the above states that the soiling charge is a maximum. The current tariff card simply states 'soiling charge'. And other council info for passengers makes it sound like it's a fixed sum:

https://www.somerset.gov.uk/business-ec ... assengers/

(Under Maximum Fare about half way down the page.)

And after spending who-knows-how-long looking at all that, suddenly realised that there's zero information on the usual most important point - how much the 'hike' actually is

Anyone actually read that and have any inkling of by how much fares are going up?

And it's interesting how the headline and strapline frames it all - it's the maximum that can be charged.

(On further inspection there does seem to be a crude indication of how much fares will rise by, but it's certainly a bit crude, and definitely not highlighted in the piece as per normal.)

It does, and every year, 100s of paid civil servants acting as licensing officers ignore it.

I often think these LOs say this to help out councillors ease their souls when passing fare reviews.

_________________
IDFIMH

This is an official council press release.

And, again, it's interesting how it's highlighted that the fares are maximums that can be charged, as highlighted below.

The word maximum is used nine times

And there's a longer spiel about the thing more broadly in two different paragraphs

Which, again, is probably related to the best practice guidance. On the other hand, I don't think the wording of the BPG has changed for years, at least in relation to fares.

So it's maybe related to central government efforts to make sure licensing authorities pay more attention to the BPG, and ensuring all are singing from the same hymn sheet, basically.

And, of course, there may be a copy cat element to it all. And maybe stuff going on via the LGA, IoL, or whatever.

But maybe they should instead do something about the self-evident, fundamental and dangerous contradiction to it all contained in the BPG, as I tried to highlight in another recent thread


Somerset Council approves update to maximum taxi fares

https://www.somerset.gov.uk/news/somers ... axi-fares/

Somerset Council has approved updated maximum taxi fares following a review. The changes help reflect rising operating costs while protecting passengers.

Somerset Council has approved an update to the maximum fares licensed taxi drivers can charge across the county.

The changes reflect increases in operating costs and the cost of living since fares were last adjusted in May 2024. The fares are the maximum taxi firms can charge; operators can continue to offer cheaper fares if they choose to do so.

The approved changes include:

• The maximum standard fare for journeys of up to one mile rising from £4.60 to £5.06.

• Increases to maximum charges for additional mileage and waiting time.

• Soiling fees and holiday surcharges remaining unchanged.

The decision follows a comprehensive review of economic conditions, including a 10.69% rise in the cost of living and substantial increases in fuel, insurance and vehicle maintenance costs.

The changes aim to balance the affordability of taxi services for passengers with the need to support a sustainable local taxi trade and maintain availability across the county.

Councillor Federica Smith-Roberts, Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Communities, Environment and Climate Change, said:

“Regularly reviewing taxi fares is essential to ensure that Somerset residents and visitors continue to have access to safe, reliable and regulated transport.

“These changes reflect the real-world pressures faced by drivers while keeping fares competitive with neighbouring areas.”

The revised fare structure sets the maximum fares that can be charged by licensed hackney carriage taxis in Somerset. Drivers are not required to charge these rates and may continue to charge lower fares if they choose.

Under the new rates, a standard two-mile journey will cost a maximum of £8.60, compared with the current maximum fare of £7.60.

The updated fare table will come into force no later than 19 September 2026.

And according to my browser search function (Ctrl-F), this thread now uses the word 'maximum' 40 times