
Somerset taxi passengers will soon face higher travel costs after the local authority moved to increase maximum fare limits.
Somerset Council’s executive committee is expected to approve the new tariff structure today, 2 September, to help drivers cope with mounting fuel and insurance expenses.
Under the revised pricing, the standard meter will start at £5.06 for the first mile, followed by 33p for every subsequent tenth of a mile, while waiting time will cost £1.10 for every two full minutes.
Drivers will also be permitted to apply a 50 per cent surcharge during late-night hours, weekends, or when transporting larger groups, alongside a 100 per cent markup for peak holiday periods including Christmas and bank holidays.
Additional passenger charges will include a £100 cleaning fee for soiling the vehicle, a £10 pre-booking fee, and full reimbursement for any road tolls or clean air zone charges.
The overhaul follows a May consultation where nearly 150 local firms and vehicle owners weighed in on the financial pressures facing the trade. While 59 per cent of respondents backed the rise, more than half admitted they worried higher prices would dent passenger demand.
Over 40 per cent of operators argued that current rates were no longer financially viable against a backdrop of steep inflation.
Writing in an official report, senior licensing officer John Rendell noted that the current maximum tariffs have remained unchanged since May 2024. "The majority support a fare increase, with a need to balance trade viability and passenger affordability," Rendell stated, highlighting that respondents emphasised "the importance of regular, structured fare reviews."
The adjustments will push the average price of a two-mile local journey from £7.60 up to £8.60, positioning Somerset as having the third highest regional rates in the south west outside of Cornwall.
The updated fares are scheduled to take effect across the council area by September 19.

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Jonathan Mitchell, 25, targeted the cabbie after changing destinations multiple times in South Shields, prompting the driver to radio his control room for police assistance.

The private hire driver was caught operating a silver Renault Master that carried the children - including a wheelchair user - and a passenger assistant to a school in Chorley.

The meeting covered concerns about the knowledge test and the promised Licensing Panel safeguard after three failed attempts - including an experienced driver who has been unable to work while his renewal remains unresol

The key objective of Glasgow Taxis’ trained and PVG-checked marshals is to help the public access a taxi safely and as quickly as possible at designated ranks, particularly at the conclusion of highly attended events.

Ipswich BC's Executive is being asked to approve a public consultation at a meeting on September 8. If no objections are raised, the revised tariffs could come into effect on October 13.

The company, which launched in Nigeria in 2014 and Uganda two years later, described the move as a difficult decision.

The taxi trade in Stirling as well as members of the public are to be consulted over proposals to increase taxi fares by 11.7 per cent and to introduce new tariffs to cover the festive period.

Warwick DC's cabinet is set to decide on 9 September, whether to approve the rise for the area's 127 hackneys, which would mark the first adjustment to the maximum permitted charges in two years.

Mohammad Anwar had his renewal application rejected by Glasgow City Council's licensing committee following a formal objection raised by Police Scotland.

Mark Johnson, owner of Lincs Coast Taxis, met Sarah after picking up the family - she explained her son Oliver had been treated that day for a brain tumour, the driver was deeply moved.

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Under the scheme, penalty points can be issued for minor infringements of licence conditions. The points issued will depend on the nature and seriousness of the breach and will remain on a driver’s record for three years

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The licensing sub-committee greenlit the fare adjustment following a low-turnout public consultation where participants highlighted cost-of-living pressures.

The local authority held the urgent meeting to implement a temporary licensing change after iCars boss Neil McLennan was ordered to strip remembrance emblems from his fleet of taxis.

Leon Gladdis, 29, of Newport, admitted to aggravated vehicle taking when he appeared before the Isle of Wight Magistrates’ Court last month, reversing an earlier not-guilty plea.
