There seems to be some confusion with the general public that the Southampton Hackney Association (SHA) owns all 283 white taxis in Southampton.

 

The Southampton Hackney Association own no taxi's at all. The Southampton Hackney Association (SHA) is a relatively small group of taxi drivers who support one another and liaise with the Southampton City Council. 

 

All white taxi cabs in Southampton are driven either by journeymen who rent taxis from the owner for a weekly/monthly contribution or the taxi could be driven solely by the owner driver. The approximate figure of 400 licensed taxi drivers in the city are NOT all members of the Southampton Hackney Association, in fact we have only about 150 taxi driver members.

 

The SHA are against drivers that over-charge, are rude to customers and sometimes take the incorrect route.  We do care enormously about the adverse comments that seem to be too often placed by the media and harm our reputation.

 

If you have a complaint about a driver, please note the identification number from the back of the taxi or from the inside of the front windscreen or better still take the drivers Hackney Badge Number and report to the Taxi Licensing Department at Southamption City Council via enquiries@southampton.gov.uk