Many members of the public are not clear about taxi (hackney carriage) fares. For a journey starting within the city, if the destination is also within the Southampton, the maximum fare, approved by the city council is always that shown on the meter. The meter is checked by the council and automatically shows the maximum fare, for all times of the year, for day and night.

A problem can arise when the destination is outside the city, for example the airport, Eastleigh, Totton, Warsash, wherever. For a journey beyond the city boundary the driver may use the meter all the way, or the driver may from the boundary onwards charge whatever fare he likes, provided that the passenger agrees. But the basis of the proposed fare must be made clear at the very start of the journey, so that the passenger has the opportunity to agree or not. Most drivers are perfectly decent and honest people, and seek no more than a fair and reasonable fare. The practice of Southampton taxi drivers is to charge 25 per cent extra on the meter for that part of the journey beyond the city boundary.

Unfortunately a few do seek to obtain an exorbitant fare, for example by charging 25 per cent extra on the meter for the whole of the journey, from the beginning of the journey, whereas they are only entitled to charge extra, by agreement, from the point where they crossed the boundary out of the city.

Sometimes the journey beyond the city boundary is a very short distance, such as to the airport.

If the passenger feels intimidated or misled or over-charged or is dissatisfied in any way with the fare charged or indeed anything else about the driver or the journey he should take the licence number of the driver and the vehicle and promptly report the matter to the council's licensing enforcement officer - a complaint form is available in the licensing pages on Southampton Online - www.southampton.gov.uk/licensing.

In private hire vehicles the meters are checked for accuracy by the officers, but the fares cannot be regulated and are a matter for negotiation between the passenger and the driver before the journey commences.

COUNCILLOR ALEC SAMUELS, Southampton City Council.