Taxi Regulation Act 2003

Maximum fares.

42.—(1) The Commission may make an order (“maximum fares order”) fixing the maximum fares in respect of any taximeter area that may be charged by the driver of a taxi.

(2) In this section—

“shared hire” means a hire which is engaged jointly by more than one person at the same time, not necessarily terminating at the same location, from an appointed stand which has been designated for shared hire purposes by a local authority;

“single hire” means a hire which is engaged by one person on that persons sole behalf or on behalf of that person and additional persons.

(3) Different maximum fares may be fixed under this section—

(a) in respect of hires engaged on a single hire basis and on a shared hire basis,

(b) for different circumstances or times, and

(c) for different taximeter areas.

(4) Before fixing maximum fares under this section the Commission shall—

(a) consult with—

(i) any local authority within whose functional area the taximeter area exists,

(ii) the Council,

(iii) the Legal Metrology Service,

(b) publish a notice in one or more newspapers circulating in the taximeter area—

(i) indicating that it is proposed to exercise the function, and

(ii) stating that representations in relation to the proposal may be made in writing to the Commission before a specified date (which shall be not less than one month after the publication of the notice), and

(c) consider any observations made by the Council, the Legal Metrology Service, any local authority consulted under paragraph (a) and any representations made pursuant to paragraph (b).

(5) Where maximum fares are fixed under this section by the Commission, details of the fares fixed shall be published by the Commission in one or more newspapers circulating in the taximeter areas in respect of which the maximum fares have been fixed.

(6) The Commission may amend or revoke a maximum fares order.

(7) An officer of the Commission may issue a certificate that on a specified day specified fares were the maximum fares fixed for a taxi in respect of a particular taximeter area.

(8) A certificate purporting to be issued under subsection (7) that on a specified day a specified fare was the maximum fare fixed for a taxi in a particular taximeter area shall, without proof of the signature of the person purporting to sign it or that he or she was the proper person to issue it, be evidence until the contrary is shown of the matters certified in the certificate.

(9) Any maximum fares fixed for particular taximeter areas in accordance with article 27 of the Regulations of 1995 and in force immediately before the commencement of this section shall, after such commencement, continue in force as if fixed under this section and may be amended or revoked accordingly.

(10) Section 84 (inserted by section 15(1) of the Act of 2002) of the Act of 1961 is amended by inserting after subsection (1)(d) the following:

“(dd) designating appointed stands for the purpose of shared hire,”.

(11) The driver of a taxi who charges or attempts to charge a fare for a hire, in respect of a journey in a taximeter area to which a maximum fares order applies, that is greater than the maximum fare that may be calculated in accordance with the order is guilty of an offence.