Council agrees new taxi fares for Vale

Vale of White Horse District Council has agreed new Hackney carriage fares for the district this month.

The new tariff sets a maximum hackney carriage fare and also outlines the time periods for when different costs apply. As a maximum tariff, drivers can choose to charge passengers a lower rate if they wish.

Setting tariffs is a standard practice across the country and something the council, as the licensing authority, is empowered to do by law. It is also an important part of protecting the public’s interests by ensuring consistent and transparent rates.

The new tariff only applies to Hackney carriage taxis and for their journeys within the district. It does not apply to private hire taxis, which people book in advance. It has been calculated using a robust, tried and tested method – called the Guildford Method. The method applied by Vale of White Horse also uses information relevant to the district – including average salaries and the costs associated with running a taxi – to ensure the tariff is fair.

The new tariff was unanimously agreed at Cabinet on Friday 19 April. The report to Cabinet also included details of all the feedback the council received during the taxi tariff consultation, which ran from 31 January to 19 February 2024.

Cllr Bethia Thomas, Leader of Vale of White Horse District Council, said: “In light of the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, it is important for us to set a reasonable maximum tariff people will be charged for a journey. We put the proposed tariff out to public consultation, and we have also used a robust way of calculating the figures suitable for our district. We believe we have found a fair balance for Hackney Carriage customers and taxi drivers.”

The full report to Cabinet can be found here.