Hartlepool's taxi fares named among cheapest in the country

The town’s taxi fare for a two-mile journey with four people, currently stands at £4.10 – about half the price of the highest fare in the UK which is at Luton Airport, costing £9.20 for the same distance.

The prices come from research carried out on a monthly basis by Private Hire Taxi Monthly to compare fares for a two-mile journey by local authorities, based on four passengers.

It’s findings show that Hartlepool is the second cheapest place to hail a cab in the country, ranking just above South Kesteven, in Lincolnshire, which has cabs priced at £3.50.

In total, Hartlepool’s fare is £5.10 cheaper than the most expensive fare in the country at Luton Airport.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the North East, Sunderland fares are £5.40, Middlesbrough has taxis for £4.30 and Stockton on Tees has cabs for £4.50.

The news that Hartlepool is the second cheapest in the country for taxi’s has been welcomed by Hartlepool Council, which says it works to try tokeep them as low as possible.

Coun Brenda Loynes, Chairwoman of Hartlepool Borough Council’s Licensing Committee, said: “It is pleasing to see that Hartlepool is the second cheapest in the country for taxi travel, meaning our town’s residents continue to have access to quality travel options that are very good value for money. As a council, we annually review and consult on the fees suggested by the licensed taxi trade before setting them, to ensure both the trade and its customers are getting the fairest deal possible.”

When it comes to the most expensive areas, those close to busy airports are top of the list.

Passengers at Heathrow Airport, have to pay high prices like Luton, with fares costing £7.20.

Areas around the capital also come with pricey fares; passengers in Watford pay £8.40, Epsom and Ewell pay £7.20 and Dartford pay £7.

While those in the city itself face an average fare of £7.20.

East Lothian is the most expensive Scottish area at £6.80, while in the most expensive area of Wales, Carmarthenshire, a two-mile trip will cost £6.

Brighton, Bristol and Leeds are all north of six pounds, while cities like Glasgow, Manchester and Edinburgh hover around a national average fare of about £5.70.