Decision details

(i)  Cabinet considered two requests for the variation of the table of fares for the hire of hackney carriages in Southampton.

(ii)  To authorise the Head of Legal and Democratic Services to advertise any proposed variation in the table of fares and that subject to consideration of any objections by Cabinet resulting from the advertisement, the variation shall come into effect on 14 April 2014 or as soon as possible thereafter

1. The table of fares for the hire of hackney carriages in Southampton was last revised with effect from 17 May 2013.
2. With effect from 1 March 2014, Associated British Ports (ABP) has decided that it wishes to levy a charge of £1.00 to the driver for each hackney carriage hired from a Southampton cruise terminal to enable it to fund a taxi marshal scheme and thereby improve standards at the docks for its cruise passengers. For this charge to be lawfully recovered from the hirer, the table of fares must provide for it.
3. A request has also been received for additional variations to the table of fares from Mr. C. Johnson, on behalf of “the Southampton’s Combined Taxi Trade”. It is understood that this body comprises, Southampton UNITE Cab Branch, Southampton Trade Association and Southampton Hackney Association, representing elements of the Southampton taxi trade.
4. The submission of requests for the variation of hackney carriage fares is not reserved to any particular group or individual and proposals can be submitted at any time. The council has discretion in determining whether or not to proceed to consult on any such proposal.

1.  The council has discretion under section 65 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 to set the fares for the hiring of hackney carriages within the city.

2.  The alternative is for the council not to set a table of fares, but to allow individual drivers and proprietors to negotiate individual charges; no request has been made for consideration to be given to this course of action, and the option is not currently considered to be appropriate.