Agenda item

The Principal Licensing Officer, Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS), presented the report to Members. The purpose of the report was to consider an objection received regarding the proposed variation to the Hackney Carriage Table of Fares.

Officers detailed that following a request from the trade, the Licencing Committee considered a proposed variation to the Hackney Carriage Tables of Fares on 5^th June 2024 and it was resolved to undertake a consultation regarding the proposed variation.

As per the required procedure, the variation was initially advertised with a closing date of 24^th June 2026 within a local newspaper. However, due to an administrative error in the table, there was need to readvertise with updated figures, the new closing date was 29^th July 2026.

One objection was received to the table published in the original advertisement, Officers clarified that although the figures were changed between the adverts and therefore, the proposed example table outlined in page 22 was incorrect, the nature of the objection remained the same and should Members decide to adopt the table proposed by the objector, a suitable version would be drawn up with the correct values.

The nature of the objection was in relation to the use of both Metric and Imperial Measurements within the Table. The objector proposed that the table should only include Metric Values. There was no objection to the figures contained within, only in the table format.

The use of metric units was outlined in the Units of Measurement regulations 1995 and excluded metric units from road signs, with Miles and yards remaining the lawful unit of measurements for distance and speed. Officers clarified that as a Taximeter used measurements of distance and speed it was the stance of WRS that it fell within the exemption.

The stance was further supported by the acknowledged expert in Hackney Carriage Licensing, James T H Button, who noted in his publication “Button on Taxi’s: Licensing Law and Practice” that in relation to fares “it is permissible for the metric equivalent to be shown as well.” highlighting that ,in his opinion, imperial units should be used with the inclusion of metric if it was deemed appropriate. Therefore, it was decided to include both units within the table with Miles as the primary unit.

Members questioned who would have to pay for the recalibration work on the Taximeters installed in the vehicles should there be a change to metric units, Officers replied that the cost would be picked up by the licence holders.

Members were not in support of altering the Table of fares to only include metric units and stated that the traveling public were generally more familiar with the use of Miles rather than kilometres. However, it was also noted that the table included both units of measure to assist those why may not be familiar with Miles/Yards, Members expressed that this was the most appropriate format for the travelling public within the Borough.

With no objection being received in relation to the figures within the table and proposed increase, Members had no reason to refuse the request for variation from the trade and on being put to the vote it was:

RESOLVED that

the varied table of fares as shown at Appendix 1 on page 19 of the Public Reports pack be brought into force with effect from 24 August 2026.