Cardiff hackney taxis now take card payments to help compete against private hire services
Hackney carriage taxis in Cardiff are now required to accept card and contactless payments since 1 September.
The new payment method follows a decision made at the Council’s Public Protection Committee meeting earlier this year in March.
The move is part of Cardiff Council’s effort to modernise taxi services in the city. Cllr Dan De’Ath, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning and Transport, highlighted that the change brings Hackney Carriages in line with private hire vehicles, making them more competitive in a marketplace where cash is less commonly used.
Cllr De’Ath said: “Now that we have given the trade enough time to comply with the new rules, it is important to get the message out to the public that they can now pay for their taxi ride in a Hackney Carriage by card or contactless payment.
“Hackney Carriages must compete with private hire vehicles for business, and the fact that people could only pay cash previously was a barrier to their trade. With more and more people relying on apps on their smartphones and card payments as they go about their everyday life, the availability of card and contactless payments should make Hackney Carriages more competitive and help them with their trade.
“This change will also benefit the public, as people who don’t carry cash will no longer have to take diversions to go via an ATM machine to withdraw cash for their journey, saving both time and money.
“It is important to note that this change only applies to Hackney Carriages and not private hire vehicles, as all trips via private taxi operators have to be booked through an app or through an operator.”
