Ipswich Borough Council's Executive is set to consider a proposal to consult on a review of hackney carriage fares in the borough.
The proposed changes would apply only to licensed hackney carriages and would not affect private hire vehicle fares.
If approved by the Executive at its meeting this evening, Tuesday 8 September 2026, the proposed new fare structure would be subject to a statutory public consultation before any changes could be introduced.
The review forms part of the Council's annual consideration of hackney carriage fares. The aim is to help balance affordability with ensuring taxi services remain sustainable for owners, operators and drivers in the face of rising costs, including fuel, insurance and vehicle-related expenses.
The proposed increases for journeys inside Ipswich are modest, with the cost to passengers of a typical two-mile daytime journey rising from £8.00 to £8.10, while a two-mile evening journey would increase from £10.00 to £10.20.
The Council says regular fare reviews help strike a balance between keeping journeys affordable for passengers while allowing drivers to continue providing a reliable service.
If agreed, the proposed fare changes would be advertised in accordance with legal requirements, giving residents, businesses, and members of the taxi trade the opportunity to comment before a final decision is made. Subject to the outcome of the consultation process, the earliest date the new fares could come into effect would be 13 October 2026.
Councillor George Lankester, Ipswich Borough Council's Portfolio Holder for Communities, said:
"It is important to stress that this is only a review of hackney carriage fares, and not all private hire vehicles. The proposals will be subject to public consultation before any changes are introduced.
"These taxis do provide a unique and important service in Ipswich and so play a vital role in our town's transport network. Alongside private hire vehicles, they can be the only form of on-demand public transport service available around the clock, every day of the year, helping residents and visitors travel safely at any time of day or night.
“We want to ensure residents continue to have access to safe, reliable transport while keeping fares fair and proportionate.
"I would encourage anyone with an interest in these proposals to take part in the consultation process should the Executive approve it."
Details of the hackney carriage fare review proposals can be found online at Agenda for Executive on Tuesday 8th September 2026, 6.00 pm | Democracy Online | Ipswich Borough Council
Ipswich Borough Council has worked closely with local hackney carriage representatives since 2011 to ensure taxi fares remain fair for passengers while supporting a sustainable taxi service.
Following a request from the Ipswich Station Taxi Tenants Association, officers have worked collaboratively with trade representatives to develop a proposed fare structure that reflects this increase as closely as possible. Due to the way taxi fares are calculated, a combination of time and distance elements has been adjusted to achieve an overall uplift broadly in line with, or below, the Consumer Price Index (a measure of the average change in prices of goods and services purchased by households over time) across all fare tariffs, helping to balance affordability for passengers with the rising costs faced by drivers.