Passengers will be able to pay by card in all Guildford taxis from April 1, but some drivers are unhappy with the policy.

All licensed taxis will have to carry a card payment device from that date, following approval in February 2018.

The local council said this would make payment "easier and more convenient for all", but driver Mick Simmonds said the change was "ridiculous and unnecessary".

Despite having had a card machine in his taxi for two years, he said, Mr Simmonds has had to spend £182 for a new one because his existing machine doesn't print receipts.

"I can write a receipt or do email," he said, "But they insist it has to print out. It just costs us more money.

"All they do is put more costs on top of costs on top of costs. They're no friend to the taxi driver."

Introducing the policy, Cllr Graham Ellwood, lead councillor for licensing, environmental health and community safety, said: "We have made these changes to our licensed taxi service to make payments easier and more convenient for all and to improve safety for drivers by removing the need for them to carry large amounts of cash.

"This new payment option adds to our work with the trade making positive changes to protect public safety. We have introduced a livery for taxis, door signs for private hire vehicles and the requirement for drivers to complete a BTEC qualification."

A council spokesman added that the cost of a machine would be included in the approved taxi fare calculator and "as such the trade will be able to recover the cost of providing a device through the fare."

Mick Simmonds said Guildford Borough Council was 'no friend to the taxi driver' (Image: Grahame Larter/Surrey Advertiser)

But Mr Simmonds said: "These people have never driven a taxi. They think they know what they are doing, but they don't.

"They're not interested in us making money. It's ridiculous and unnecessary."

Relations between the council and Guildford's taxi drivers have been strained in recent years, with drivers complaining that their costs have been rising while trade is drying up, partly due to the success of apps such as Uber.

In January 2019, the council proposed a 10% rise in the cost of a one-year taxi licence, while disputes over the teal livery and proposals to slash fares have ended up in court.

A year ago, in March 2018, drivers staged a go-slow protest in the town centre, clogging up the one way system to demonstrate against reductions in fares.


Regarding the card machines, a spokesman for the council said: "The requirement for card payments in taxis was approved in early 2018, following consultation with the trade.

"In summary there was strong support received during consultation from both the trade and customers for the use of card payment devices in taxis.

"The device must accept credit/debit cards, contactless payments and provide a receipt. We have advised the trade that the device must be able to print a receipt, as opposed to  devices which just email or text a receipt to customers. This is for reasons of convenience and confidence for customers.

"There may be customers who either do not have an email/mobile number to be sent an electronic receipt but still want one, or may not wish to give (or be in a position to provide) these details, for example a lone female travelling home after a night out, or a person who may be intoxicated. As such by being given a printed receipt from the device, the customer can be confident in what they have paid."

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