Posted on the 16th June 2026 in PHTM News

POWYS TAXI FARES SET TO RISE UNDER NEW COST OF LIVING COUNCIL REVIEW

Taxi journeys across Powys could soon become more expensive under new council proposals designed to keep struggling local transport firms afloat.

Members of Powys County Council’s Planning, Taxi Licensing and Rights of Way committee met on Thursday, June 11, to review a proposed taxi tariff hike, which will be sent to the Liberal Democrat/Labour cabinet for a final decision in the coming weeks.

Licensing officer Tom Goldsmith explained that a fee increase is urgently needed because rates have been frozen for four years. “We intend to propose an increase to the fees as they have not been increased since 2022," Goldsmith stated.

"Since then, significant things have happened relating to the cost-of-living crisis, and the war in Iran, which has pushed fuel prices up for everyone, especially hitting our taxi drivers hardest.” He revealed that "numerous" local taxi companies had contacted the council to warn that they are currently struggling to survive.

The council emphasised that safeguarding local drivers is crucial for the region's infrastructure. Mr. Goldsmith said: “We feel it’s important to do what we can to support them, given that Powys is a rural county and we have lots of people who rely on hackney carriages to get out and about.”

Powys fares are currently among the lowest in Wales, ranking 17th out of 22 local authorities. At £6 for every two miles, it sits just 40 pence higher than Wrexham - the cheapest and a "much more metropolitan area" - while Conwy tops the list at £7.60.

Under the new plans, day rates will increase by roughly 35 pence per mile, with further increases planned for night-time travel and special holiday events like Christmas and New Year's Eve.

Mr. Goldsmith reassured the committee that the new prices "are in line with inflation and should help the taxi trade without putting an onerous burden on the people who use them.”

The plan also includes raising the daytime waiting-time tariff from 20 pence to 30 pence per minute.

When questioned by Councillor Gareth E Jones about why this specific fee was jumping by "50 per cent," Mr. Goldsmith responded: “I understand the percentage looks large, but it is only 10 pence – this rate was relatively low when compared to other authorities.”

Committee chairman Councillor Gareth D Jones noted the report, stating: “We’ll see how it works out moving forward.”

If the cabinet approves the finalised proposals, the council will launch a 14-day public consultation, and any objections will be brought back to the Planning committee for a final review.


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