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Cost | Factors effecting cost | Estimates | Tipping | Receipts | Payment | Cancellations | Taxi Tariff How much will my journey cost? The Public Carriage Office sets fares for journeys made by licensed taxis. The metered fare will be shown on the Taximeter at the end of the journey. The Taximeter works on a combination of both distance and time. The Taxicard scheme is subsidised by local boroughs and the Mayor of London, which means you pay considerably reduced fares. For most journeys you will pay a flat fare and your local authority will pay the balance of the limit shown in the table. 1. Member Flat Fare In most boroughs, members pay a £1.50 flat fare up to the fare limit - see below. 2. Borough Maximum Subsidy The borough maximum subsidy per trip is the maximum amount the borough will pay towards each trip. This amount is different depending on the time of day and at weekends in most boroughs (Table 1). This is because it is more expensive to travel at night and weekends than on weekdays. The boroughs of Bromley and Harrow have different rates - see Table 2 3. Fare Limit The
Fare Limit is the Borough Maximum Subsidy and Member Flat Fare added together.
If the fare on the meter is less than the fare limit, you only pay the
flat fare. If the fare on the meter is more than the fare limit, you will
have to pay the flat fare plus the difference between the fare limit and
the meter reading. Table 1
Table 2
The following examples are meant for guidance on how the different subsidies work. They are based on the same journey being made at different times of the day or days of the week. Each example shows the amount you could have to pay for the journey during these times. In practice, as the taxi meter works on a combination of time and distance, no two journeys, even starting and ending in the same place, are likely to cost exactly the same even during the same taxi tariff period. Table 3
Notes: Metered fare - The total amount on the meter at the end of the journey Borough Maximum Subsidy - See paragraph no. 2 on previous page Member Flat Fare - See paragraph no. 1 on previous page Fare limit - See paragraph no. 3 on previous page Additional Charge - The amount you pay above the fare limit. This is the metered fare minus the fare limit.
Stagecoaching allows Taxicard members to swipe their cards twice during a journey instead of once. This means that they can use 2 trips and 2 subsidies. For example, at present members pay £1.50 minimum subsidy of £10.30. If you allow stagecoaching a person could pay £3.00 and have up to a maximum of £23.60 on the meter. This allows people to choose whether to have fewer longer trips or shorter trips. Participating boroughs include Barking and Dagenham, Brent, Bromley, Ealing, Greenwich, Hammersmith & Fulham, Haringey, Havering, Hounslow, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Newham, Richmond, Southwark Sutton and Tower Hamlets. 
Estimates If you are concerned about exceeding the fare limit, please ask the contractor to give you an indication of the likely cost of your journey. It is important to remember that Taxicard journeys can be expensive if you travel longer distances. Due to the different combination of distance and time for each journey, depending on traffic conditions, the weather, route taken etc., it is not possible to give you an exact quotation. The driver will usually take the shortest route to your destination. If you have a preferred route you would like to take please tell the driver at the beginning of your journey.
Tipping There is no obligation to tip the driver as your Borough has already paid an amount for this. If you do choose to tip for good service the amount is at your discretion and is not refundable by London Councils Taxicard or your Borough.
Receipts If you require a receipt for the amount you have paid, please ask the driver at the end of your journey. Receipts are not given automatically.
Payment Note: It is important to ensure you have sufficient money on you to pay the full amount of the fare at the end of your journey. Failure to do so may result in the contractor refusing to book further journeys for you until the balance is paid. Cheques: You can pay by cheque with a cheque guarantee card as long as you have informed the operator at the time of your booking. Credit cards: The contractor will not accept credit cards for your booking. Cancellations If for any reason you decide not to travel after booking a taxi please cancel it as soon as possible with the contractor. Note: If you do not cancel the taxi before it is allocated by the contractor to a driver your Borough has to pay what is on the meter and you also lose a trip from your allocation. This does not apply where a taxi arrives late and you choose not to travel. Taxi Tariffs are available
here.
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