Originally Posted by chartreuse
IIRC it's down to BAA rules. Any fare in London is on the meter, anything outside London is priced according to a tarriff set by BAA.
However, cab drivers can ask the taxi marshall for a waiver. I had this going to Runnymeade one time. Tarriff fare was £60, driver got a waiver and it dropped to £25.
Its not down to BAA rules, its down to the public carriage rules and the agreed taxi drivers zonal chart.
The taxi driver was not wrong in refusing you a journey and if anything like this happens and they refuse to take you, take their number and report them. As slough is only 10 miles away and they can refuse to do a job in a Zone (less than 20 miles)I quote from:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/pco/taxi_fares.shtml
Drivers must, unless they have good cause, accept any hiring up to 12 miles (20 miles if starting at Heathrow Airport), or up to one hour duration, if the destination is in Greater London
Some of the drivers do refuse to take you short journeys but that is because they are greedy and want big fares.
The zone charts are show by the taxi ranks with approximate fares.
I have had so many problems with black cab drivers refusing to take people on short journeys.
Contact the public carriage office between 9am and 4pm on 0845 602 7000 and the taxi feeder after hours on 0208 745 5893.