Maximum taxi fares in Somerset are set to rise from 18 September after the council’s Executive approved a revised tariff.
The decision, made on Wednesday 2 September, increases the maximum standard fare for journeys of up to one mile from £4.60 to £5.06. The charge for each additional completed tenth of a mile will rise from 30p to 33p, while waiting time will increase from £1 for every two minutes to £1.10.
The revised maximum fare table also keeps the existing 50% and 100% increases for specified night-time, weekend, public holiday and larger-vehicle journeys. The £100 maximum soiling charge and full recharge of tolls and Clean Air Zone charges are unchanged.
The council approved the tariff with a condition that the proposed £10 booking fee be removed. It should therefore not be treated as part of the new maximum fare structure.
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The revised rates are maximums rather than compulsory charges. Drivers may charge less, and passengers who agree a specific fare before a journey starts cannot be charged more than that agreed amount.
Somerset Council said the previous maximum fares had been in place since May 2024. Its decision report cited increases in operating costs, including maintenance, insurance and fuel, as reasons for reviewing the tariff.
The council said the standard fare and waiting-time increases were designed to reflect inflationary pressures while balancing passenger affordability. It also noted that taxis are particularly important in rural areas where public transport options can be limited.
The fare review attracted 26 objections. Concerns included the effect of higher prices on older and disabled passengers, people travelling to healthcare appointments, rural residents and shift workers travelling when bus services are unavailable.
The council’s papers state that the maximum two-mile fare would rise from £7.60 to £8.36 under the revised tariff. A standard 10-mile journey would rise from a current maximum of £31.60 to £34.76, before any applicable increase.
The new rates apply to taxis licensed by Somerset Council. The council’s report makes clear that it does not set maximum fares for private-hire vehicles.
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Sources
Decision – Vary the fixed maximum fares charged by taxi drivers licensed in Somerset
