Hackney carriage fares are set to be standardised across Epping Forest from Monday.

All hackney carriages will have taximeters installed with a maximum standard tariff set by Epping Forest District Council.

Azid Famu, chairman of the Epping Forest Taxi Drivers Association, said: “We think it’s a very positive move.

“We have been campaigning for it for the last three years because at the moment drivers can charge what they want.

“It stops the passenger from being ripped off and drivers can charge a rate they can live off.

Ben Murphy, who served as Epping mayor from 2008 to 2009, is unhappy with the new measures claiming fares could rise by 30 per cent.

On Monday he took to Twitter and said: “This will hit local people hard especially our elderly.”