Posted on the 10th March 2026 in PHTM News

NEW FOREST TAXI DRIVERS FACE HIGHER FEES AS COUNCIL APPROVES LICENSING PRICE HIKE

Taxi operators in the New Forest are facing a squeeze on their livelihoods after district councillors approved a rise in licensing fees to cover local authority costs.

The decision, made by the New Forest District Council’s general purposes and licensing committee on Friday, March 6, comes despite warnings from the trade that drivers are already struggling with a "spiralling" cost of living.

Paul Osborne, chairman of the New Forest Taxi Operator and Driver Association, told the committee that the industry is being hit by a wave of financial pressures.

“We are already heavily strangled by rising daily costs, main government staffing costings and the cost of living spiralling out of control to name but a few,” he said, adding that these factors are “having a detrimental effect reducing our profits year on year.”

Mr. Osborne noted that while the fees drivers pay to the council have risen recently, the tariffs have remained frozen since 2022.

He argued that “without something in place to allow us to achieve more income... it would be foolish to proceed with further increases in our fees.”

In response to these concerns, council officers have agreed to fast-track a review of passenger fares, provided enough drivers support the move.

Councillor Steve Clarke suggested that a fairer system would involve increasing taxi tariffs regularly in line with inflation, noting that “taxi drivers in the main are self-employed and they have ongoing costs, which definitely don’t get cheaper.” 

Although some councillors attempted to delay the fee increase, they were outvoted, meaning the new charges will go ahead alongside the promised fare review.


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