Wiltshire Council raises taxi tariff 10 percent and allows cabbies to work in extended area

Wiltshire Council has agreed to raise Tariff 1 for Hackney Carriages in Wiltshire by 10% to help drivers meet the cost of rising fuel prices.

Tariff 1 applies to licensed Hackney Carriages with up to four seats, from 7am-9.59pm each day, except for Sundays and public holidays. The change, which will come into effect from 1 December 2022, will mean that after the first 1/10 of a mile, the Tariff 1 journey will increase from 20p each subsequent 1/10 of a mile to 22p.

All other tariffs - which cover vehicles with more than four seats, all vehicles between 10pm and 6.59am, Sundays and all public holidays - will remain as they currently are, with no increase in the price.

Cllr Dr Mark McClelland, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “It is never an easy decision to increase taxi tariffs and there is no perfect solution to this issue, but we felt that this change was the best compromise to support taxi drivers, while also protecting customers.

“By raising Tariff 1 but keeping all other tariffs as they are, we are able to help drivers and operators to meet the rising fuel costs, while also ensuring that customers - particularly those that take taxis at night - do not have to pay more and can safely make their way home after a night out.

“In our Business Plan we have committed to have vibrant, well-connected communities and growing economies, and we need a public transport network that works for our communities as part of that.”

The council has also agreed to merge the different taxi licensing zones around the county into one single licensing zone that covers the whole Wiltshire Council area. This means that any licensed Hackney Carriage can operate anywhere in the Wiltshire Council area, rather than being restricted to a part of the county.