Coventry taxi fares set to rise
Starting fares will remain unchanged, but passengers could reach higher charges sooner under proposed changes
Taxi fares in Coventry are set to increase after the city council approved proposals to change the way passengers are charged.
The changes have been requested by Unite, which represents the city’s taxi trade. While the current starting fares will remain the same, passengers will move to the next fare increment sooner.
A report to the council explained: “The proposal would retain the existing start fares but reduce the initial distance and time covered by those fares, resulting in fares moving to the next increment sooner.”
It says the aim is to protect passengers who hire taxis from the street or a rank, where there is limited opportunity to negotiate the amount they will pay.
It is proposed to reduce the initial distance covered by the starting fare from 0.922 km to 0.76 km, and to reduce the initial waiting time covered from up to 4.5 minutes to up to 3.7 minutes.
The starting fares would remain unchanged at £3.80 for daytime journeys (6am to 10pm), £4.60 for night-time journeys (10pm to 6am) and £4.90 for public holiday journeys. There are then increments of 30p for day and night journeys and 35p for holiday journeys for every additional 0.162km or additional waiting time of 48 seconds.
Holiday fares apply from 6pm Christmas Eve to 6am December 27, from 6pm New Year’s Eve to 6am January 2, and on Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, May Day Bank Holiday in early May, Spring Bank Holiday in late May, and August Bank Holiday.
The last time taxi fares went up was in August 2022. Although the council does not have powers to directly regulate private hire fares, it is customary in Coventry for private hire fees to align with those for taxis.
Coventry City Council points out it does not receive any revenue from taxi fares. It believes any changes to fares will not affect the number of drivers, vehicle proprietors and operators who are either already licensed or applying for a licence.
It added: “The proposal supports the One Coventry Plan by helping to maintain safe, accessible and reliable taxi services for residents, visitors and businesses. This contributes to safer communities, improved access to services and a more active and vibrant city.
“The proposed variation is expected to support safe, available and good-value taxi services in Coventry, benefiting partner organisations and others who rely on taxis to support access, transport and community safety.”
Mick Coggins, the council’s senior licensing and enforcement officer, confirmed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the new fares were approved for a 14-day period of advertising to allow people to make objections.
Any opposition to the increases will be reported back to the Cabinet Member for City Services, Cllr Patricia Hetherton, before a final decision is made. If no objections are received, the revised tariffs will be implemented.
The next meeting of the Cabinet Member for City Services is on September 15.