Somerset taxi fares could rise under council plan

By Laura Linham 12th Jul 2026

Local News by Laura Linham 1 hour ago

Somerset taxi passengers could pay more under council plans now out for consultation. Somerset Council is proposing to increase the maximum fares charged by hackney carriage taxis, with objections open until Sunday, 19 July.

The plan would raise the standard first-mile fare to £5.06, with each additional one-tenth of a mile charged at 33p. Waiting time would also rise to £1.10 for each completed two minutes.

There is another figure likely to catch attention: a new £10 booking fee when a journey is pre-arranged. The fee would be discretionary, but it would allow drivers to add up to £10 on top of the metered fare.

Somerset Council says the booking fee is being proposed to "incentivise services in more rural areas where they are not already provided and would not otherwise be viable". In plain English, the council's argument is that some rural jobs are not worth taking if drivers have to travel too far before the passenger is even in the cab.

The changes would apply to hackney carriage taxis, not private hire vehicles. Hackney carriage fares are controlled by the council as maximum charges, meaning drivers cannot charge above the table of fares but passengers can still agree a lower fare.

The proposal also sets out higher maximum fares for evenings, weekends, bank holidays and larger groups. Journeys from Monday to Friday between 10pm and 7am would carry a 50% increase, while Saturday and Sunday journeys would carry a 50% increase all day.

Groups of five or more passengers would also face higher maximum charges. The table proposes a 50% increase from Monday to Friday between 7am and 10pm, and a 100% increase from Monday to Friday between 10pm and 7am.

The same 100% increase would apply for groups of five or more on Saturdays and Sundays, on public and bank holidays, and on Christmas Day. Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve journeys between 6pm and midnight would also fall under the 100% increase.

Somerset Council says the rise is intended to reflect inflationary pressures and higher fuel costs since fares were last varied in May 2024. The current Somerset-wide table was brought in after the creation of Somerset Council and the move away from the former district council fare systems.

For passengers, the question is simple enough: will higher maximum fares mean more taxis when people need them, or just dearer trips home from town, hospital, work or the station? Somerset Council says anyone can object before the consultation closes on Sunday, 19 July.

Objections can be submitted through the Somerset Council taxi fares consultation.