The Licensing Committee of North West Leicestershire Council is scheduled to consider a proposed variation to the Hackney Carriage Table of Fares. The committee will also review the minutes from a previous meeting.

Variation to the Hackney Carriage Table of Fares

The committee is scheduled to consider a report from the Public Protection Team Manager regarding a proposed increase to the maximum fares that can be charged for Hackney Carriage journeys within the North West Leicestershire District. The report outlines that representations were received from the Hackney Carriage trade in October 2026, citing difficulties in absorbing rising costs for fuel, insurance, and vehicle maintenance. The trade has proposed increasing the fare for the first mile from £4.00 to £5.00, while keeping the charge for each additional tenth of a mile unchanged.

The report notes that a targeted consultation with the wider Hackney Carriage trade was conducted between 8 October and 17 October 2026, with 29 individuals responding. All respondents supported a review of current fares, and 100% supported the proposed increase for the first mile. However, 52% of respondents did not support keeping the charge for each additional tenth of a mile unchanged.

The current fare tariff has been in place since 28 March 2022, with previous changes dating back to 2013. The report compares the current two-mile Hackney Carriage fare in North West Leicestershire (£6.00) with those of neighbouring authorities, indicating that North West Leicestershire has the lowest fare among seven local authorities in Leicestershire and ranks 309th out of 341 local authorities nationally. The proposed increase would raise the two-mile fare to £7.00, placing it fourth highest among local authorities in Leicestershire and around 220th nationally.

The report acknowledges significant increases in vehicle operating costs since the last tariff review and aims to strike a balance between supporting the trade's financial sustainability and maintaining affordable transport for the public. The committee is asked to consider a proposal to vary the Hackney Carriage Table of Fares, subject to public consultation, and to delegate authority to the Public Protection Team Manager to determine and consider any objections received.

The report also includes appendices detailing the current Hackney Carriage Fares, representations from the trade, and a summary of the consultation results. The current Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy 2022-2027 is also a background paper for this item.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

The committee is scheduled to confirm and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 6 November 2024. The minutes of this previous meeting are available to review.