Fuel surcharges proposed for taxi passengers

Sheffield taxi passengers may have to pay extra charges of between 20p and £2 per journey to help drivers cover rising fuel prices.

Drivers of Hackney Carriages – cabs that can be hailed in the street or operate from taxi ranks – have asked for approval of a legally controlled surcharge.

The city council approved similar measures in 2023 after prices rose.

The authority's licensing service proposes a sliding scale for a surcharge, linked to the cost of diesel fuel.

The proposed scale is as follows:

£1.65 a litre – 20p surcharge

£1.70 – 40p

£1.75 – 60p

£1.80 – 80p

£1.85 – £1

£1.90 – £1.20

£1.95 – £1.40

£2 – £1.60

£2.05 – £1.80

£2.10 – £2

A report to the committee said: "If approved, Hackney Carriage drivers would be required to apply the relevant fuel surcharge as an additional charge via the vehicle's taximeter at the conclusion of each journey."

Any change in fares agreed by the committee would be subject to a 14-day public consultation period.

If no objections were received during this time, the fares would be implemented, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Any objections would be considered by the committee and any changes to fares would need to be implemented within two months of the public notice.

The request will be discussed on 19 June at a meeting of the environmental services and regulation policy committee.

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