Taxi passengers could pay up to $10 extra for booking in peak hours, including Friday and Saturday nights and the eve of public holidays, if a proposal of review of taxi fares is adopted.

The Essential Services Commission, which is the independent regulator responsible for determining the maximum taxi fares, proposed the fee in a draft report released on Tuesday.

The fee would apply from 7pm on nights prior to all public holidays and continue to 4am.

They report found taxi demand increases on Friday and Saturday nights from 6-7pm, but the number of taxis in operation from 7pm on Friday nights begins to decline.

It also found that customers were having difficulties in booking taxis with traditional taxi network during peak times, with calls often going unanswered.