TfL “seeking views” on proposed revisions to black taxi fares
Transport for London has launched a consultation on proposed changes to hackney carriage fares and tariffs in London.
TfL sets the maximum fares that black cabs can charge. These fares are determined by tariffs that are reviewed each year and normally updated to reflect changes in a cost index which tracks year-on-year changes to the costs of operating a taxi in London.
TfL is interested in operators’ views on the following:
- Whether the minimum fare of £2.60 should be increased and if so by how much
- Whether Tariff 1 and Tariff 2 should be increased
- Whether Tariff 3 should be frozen
- Whether the tariff rate for journeys over six miles (Tariff 4) should be changed
- Removing the social costs element from the cost index
- Adding transaction costs for card payment devices to the cost index – this would be in addition to the 20p minimum fare increase introduced in April 2016
- Continuing the present arrangement that allows taxi drivers to add an extra charge of 40p to the fare if fuel prices increase significantly and reduce fares by 40p if fuel prices fall significantly
- Whether there should be an increase to the additional charge for taxi journeys that start from a taxi rank at Heathrow Airport and, if so, by how much
- Reviewing options for fixed or capped fares to or from Heathrow Airport
- Increasing by 50p the fares for the fixed fare, shared taxi schemes that operate from Euston Station
- Adding fares for six passengers sharing a taxi to the shared taxi conversion table
- Updating the card payment device requirements for taxis so that all drivers accept American Express as well as Visa and MasterCard