London black cab fares are set to increase by 5.05 per cent next month

London black taxis are about to get even more expensive as the minimum fare and tariffs are set to increase next month.

Transport for London (TfL) has said the minimum fare will increase by 40p and tariffs will rise by 5.05 per cent on April 26.

And even though more people are opting for cheaper Ubers as their taxi of choice, the black cab community has welcomed the move.

The United Cabbies Group posted on X: ‘So there can be no confusion. The UCG hold the view, that we are fully entitled to the Tariff increase, after all we’ve laid that money out. Our Tariff is a year in arrears.’

One black taxi driver commented: ‘Any driver not wanting the increase needs to give their head a wobble. We deserve every penny!!’

The minimum fare will rise from £3.80 to £4.20, meaning journeys below 85.2 metres will now cost £4.20.

Once the distance has reached 9,627.6 metres the tariff cost is added every 70.4 metres.

Tariffs one, two and three will all increase by 5.05 per cent and tariff 4 rates will be the same as tariff two.

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With the price hike the cost per additional mile for tariff one will be approximately £3.97, tariff two and four will be approximately £4.80, and tariff three will be approximately £5.08.

In comparison, on Uber in London, the minimum cost of a journey is £5 and every additional mile costs £1.25.

In support of the new tariffs, a driver wrote: ‘Drivers naturally have differing views. Mine is I very much welcome the increase and don’t think it’ll make a jot of difference to who chooses a black cab or not. Prices increase across all businesses, ours should be no difference.’

Another added: ‘100% to an increase. I pay more for everything I use.’

Tariff one relates to journeys between 5am and 8pm Monday to Friday.

Tariff two concerns journeys between 8pm and 10pm Monday to Friday and 5am to 10pm on the weekend.

Tariff three is for every night between 10pm and 5am and public holidays, and tariff four relates to all journeys over six miles.

TfL said the rise is needed to reflect the increasing cost of running a cab.

They said the changes are made to ‘strike a balance between taxi drivers being fairly paid and taxi passengers getting fair and affordable fees.’

A consultation concerning the changes was run between October and December last year, and a final proposal was made and approved by TfL’s Finance Committee on February 26.

Other changes to fairs include an increase in the additional Heathrow Airport drop-off charge from £5.20 to £6 and a reduction in the ‘Heathrow extra’ charge from £3.60 to £2.

The number of licensed taxi drivers in London has plummeted to a new low of 16,816.

Latest figures show the UK's rate of inflation is three per cent.