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Taxi or private hire companies in the Reading area

234 taxi or private hire companies have a registered office in the Reading area (RG postcodes), and 64 of them were formed in 2025 or 2026. In their latest accounts, the typical one held £8,346 in cash and owed £19,284 at year end.

Companies House register, 1 September 2026, and accounts filed in the last twelve months. Compared with the official category “Taxi operation” (SIC 49320). Covers companies with a registered office in RG postcodes, including Reading, Basingstoke, Newbury.

The numbers

Taxi or private hire companies in the Reading area (RG postcodes) compared with the same category across the UK. Typical figures are medians.
MeasureReadingUK
Registered companies23420,081
Formed in 2025 or 202664 (27%)31%
Being struck off or in liquidation24 (10%)11%
Typical cash at year end£8,34643 accounts£4,852
Typical amount owed at year end£19,284118 accounts£9,535
Typical number of employees1120 accounts1

What this means if you’re starting one

Most of your competition will be other newcomers

27% of the 234 taxi or private hire companies in the Reading area (RG postcodes) were formed in 2025–26, against 18% of all companies in the Reading area (RG postcodes). Nationally, that share of new companies is higher than 89% of UK industries.

New rivals are arriving faster than in most trades, so your customers already have fresh options. Being new is not a difference on its own.

Cash is tight in this trade

At year end the typical taxi or private hire company in the Reading area (RG postcodes) holds £8,346 in cash and owes £19,284; that cash figure is lower than 98% of UK industries.

Typical operators end the year holding less cash than they owe, so there is little slack if takings dip or a big bill lands early.

Most of these businesses are run by one or two people

The typical taxi or private hire company in the Reading area (RG postcodes) reports 1 employee; the top quarter has 3 or more (120 filings).

You are mostly up against owner-operators. Your own hours are likely to be your biggest cost, and the easiest one to undercount.

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What these figures can’t tell you

Companies are counted where their registered office is, which may be an accountant or a home address rather than a shop. Sole traders and partnerships are not on the register, and electronically filed accounts cover roughly 60–75% of accounts filed each year. The figures describe companies that exist; they cannot prove demand for your idea or predict whether it will work. How the figures are built.

Taxi or private hire in other places

Other businesses in Reading

All business benchmarks in Reading