ROUND THE COUNCILS: FEES BARNSLEY:
DRIVERS SOUND ALARM OVER FEE HIKES
Barnsley taxi drivers are pushing back against plans to raise licensing fees, warning that the extra costs come at a time when many are already struggling. Last month local councillors considered the proposals which would see the price of a one-year driver’s licence climb from £150 to £165, while a three-year licence would increase from £240 to £264. Vehicle licences would go up from £180 to £198, and operator licences would also see increases. Council officials argue the hike is necessary to cover costs of running the service, including staff time and paperwork. However, some drivers aren’t convinced they are getting their money’s worth. One driver complained that it was “really hard” to get in touch with the licensing office, claiming it was “never staffed” and that the only visible service provided was a “routine obligation, such as a safety seminar, which achieves very little.” Another driver reported earning as little as £8.16 an hour after expenses, asking: “Haven’t we got enough to pay without the licensing fees increasing again?” The fairness of the current system has also been questioned with one small operator calling the flat fee “totally illogical,” as a person with two cars shouldn’t pay the same as a huge firm with 150 vehicles. Final approval on the increases, which would take effect later in the year, is pending review of all consultation responses and the official decision of the regulatory board.
NEW FOREST: LICENSING FEES HIKE APPROVED
Taxi operators in the New Forest are facing a squeeze on their livelihoods after district councillors approved a rise in licensing fees to cover local authority costs. The decision, made by the New Forest DC’s general purposes and licensing committee on March 6, comes despite warnings from the trade that drivers are already struggling with a “spiralling” cost of living. Paul Osborne, chairman of the New Forest Taxi Operator and Driver Association, told the committee that the industry is being hit by a wave of financial pressures. “We are already heavily strangled by rising daily costs, main government staffing costings and the cost of living spiralling out of control to name but a few,” he said, adding that these factors are “having
PHTM APRIL 2026
a detrimental effect reducing our profits year on year.” Mr. Osborne noted that while the fees drivers pay to the council have risen recently, the tariffs have remained frozen since 2022. He argued that “without something in place to allow us to achieve more income... it would be foolish to proceed with further increases in our fees.” In response to these concerns, council officers have agreed to fast-track a review of passenger fares, provided enough drivers support the move. Although some councillors attempted to delay the fee increase, they were outvoted, so the new charges will go ahead alongside the promised fare review.
SLOUGH: MASSIVE PH OPERATOR FEE RISE
Slough PH operators are facing a massive jump in fees after councillors approved “excessive” fee increases, despite warnings the move could drive businesses out of town. The price of a new one-year licence will surge from £153 to £600 - a 292 per cent hike - while renewal costs for single-vehicle operators will climb from £153 to £548.
The decision sparked a heated debate during a licensing committee meeting, where some officials argued the town is becoming uncompetitive. Cllr Waqas Sabah criticised the jump, stating: “Surely, we’d want the town to thrive, and we’d want more operators in the town. Not to discourage them by charging them fees which are double what our neighbours are charging.” While nearby Windsor & Maidenhead charges just £318 for the same licence, Slough officials pointed out that major cities such as Manchester charge nearly £2,800. However, Cllr Mohammed Nazir argued that Slough is not comparable to such “large” city authorities. The council justified the increase by citing the high cost of processing applications and enforcement, which currently takes about four and a half hours per licence at an officer rate of £103 per hour. Licensing manager Russell Denney-Clarke explained that “if we could process [the applications] quicker then of course the fee would be different,” but noted that staff must also conduct physical inspections of operator bases. Although the council is “not allowed to make any profit” from these fees, the new rates are designed to ensure the local authority recovers its full costs. The changes were pushed through with two votes in favour and five abstentions.
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