Hackney carriages have a 'Taxi' roof sign and meter. They are allowed to pick up from taxi ranks and when hailed in the street.
All other work is private hire and involves pre arranged booking. If a private hire vehicle stops when hailed it is likely that the people travelling would not be insured.
Authorised fares for licensed hackney carriages
| Time/day | First 700 yards (640 metres) or 2 mins 36 secs | Each subsequent 200 yards (182 metres) or uncompleted part | Waiting time - for up to every 45 secs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7am to 11pm every day except bank and public holidays | £3* | 20 pence | 20 pence |
| 11pm to 7am every day except Christmas Day night | £4.50* | 30 pence | 30 pence |
| Bank and public holidays | £4.50* | 30 pence | 30 pence |
| Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve from 6pm to midnight | £4.50* | 30 pence | 30 pence |
| Christmas Day through to 7am on Boxing Day | £6* | 40 pence | 40 pence |
* minimum charge at these times/days
The relevant legislation regarding setting fares is Section 65 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976.
Extra charges
There are extra charges:
- when more than 4 passengers are being carried - a surcharge of 50% will be applied to the fare shown on the meter at the end of the journey
- for fouling of vehicle, interior - £50
- for fouling of vehicle, exterior - £10
Booking a taxi or private hire vehicle
If you want to book a taxi or a private hire vehicle, you can use the list of licensed operators.
Complaints about taxis
If you want to complain about a taxi or if you believe there has been a breach of licence conditions, please contact us so we can investigate.
Accessible vehicles
A list of designated wheelchair accessible vehicles is available from the Public Protection Partnership.