FARES ANDFEES
SUFFOLK CABBIES' ANGER AT LICENCE FEE HIKE
Taxi drivers have warned that their busi- nesses are being “killed off” after a 20 per cent increase in licence fees was pro- posed.
Babergh District Council is proposing that taxi companies fork out £266 to renew a vehicle - up from £221 for the current year ending in April. Owners fear the hike will have a disastrous effect on their liveli- hoods at a time when prudent customers are unwilling to absorb the costs.
Licensing chiefs at Babergh are being asked to consider the
increases as part of a drive to fill a £1.5 mil- lion black hole in next year’s budget.
A report circulated to councillors ahead of the meeting of the licensing and appeals committee on January 7 states the council needs to recover a £14,000 net deficit in its hackney carriage and private hire licens- ing function.
Steve Brett, 45, who runs four cabs for SJB Cars in Glemsford, one a hackney plate, told the Ipswich Evening Star: “We cannot pass it on to our customers because they will just
not pay it. With the increases it will just kill it off that little bit more.”
John Rainer, Ba- bergh’s food and safety regulation man- ager, said: “Over the last few weeks, Babergh has been con- sulting with local taxi operators and drivers regarding proposals to bring the fees charged for our service more in line with other Suffolk councils. “At present the fees levied by Babergh do not cover the costs of running the service, with the difference paid for by council tax payers.”
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PAGE 18
PRICE OF TAXI RIDES IN ABERDEEN SHOOTS UP
Taxi fares in Aberdeen have seen a massive increase in the last ten years.
In 1999 Aberdeen taxis cost £1.76 for the first mile and a further 20p for every extra mile. But in 2009, the rates had risen to £2.40 for the first 1,000 yards and 20p for each extra 190 yards.
This means the cost of a ten-mile taxi ride in the city has gone up from £11.36 to £19.87. In Aberdeenshire, prices have risen from
£1.50 a decade ago to £2.60 for the first 880 yards.
This has seen the rise of a ten-mile cab fare in Aberdeenshire rocket from £13.38 to £19.80. Cabbies in Aberdeen- shire have also been able to raise the soiling charge from £25 to £50. Cllr John Reynolds, who chairs Aberdeen City Council’s licens- ing committee, told the Aberdeen Evening Express: “If you look at the last ten years, fuel has probably doubled;
so has the average wage and insurance has gone up, but the taxi fares have not. “Most drivers probably work a 60-hour week, compared to the aver- age 37 and a half hours. There has got to be that balance when setting the fares. “If the fares are too low then there will not be the taxis on the street.” Fares are reviewed every 18 months, with the next review expected in Aberdeen later this year.
SELBY TAXI DRIVERS RULE OUT PRICE HIKE
Taxi fares in Selby have been frozen for another 12 months after drivers voted against a rise.
Both private hire firms and council taxis were asked whether they wanted to see a hike in the fares. The majority agreed that they did not as they did not want to put customers off during a recession.
Tim Grogan, licensing officer at Selby District Council, said: “We wrote to them asking for their opinions on tariff increases and their reply back has been ‘no change’. “The trade’s view is that they don’t want them to rise because of the recession and they don’t want to put
customers off.”
The current fare for the daytime rate - which lasts from 7am to 11 pm - is £3 for the first three-quarters of a mile then £1.50 for every mile thereafter. If a full mile is not trav- elled the customer is charged 10p for every 117 yards.
The night rate - from 11pm to 7am - is £3.50 for the first three quar- ters of a mile then £1.70 per mile. Tony Maddison, owner of Station Taxis in Selby,
said drivers
wanted to make sure they retained their customers.
He told the York Evening Press: “At the moment everybody is feeling the pinch and we don’t want to scare
people off by putting the fares up. “We don’t want to put people off and force them onto other means of transport if we can do our best to keep fares down.” Councillor Ruth Saynor, chairman of Selby Council’s licens- ing committee, said: “In these difficult eco- nomic times, we are committed to ensuring that taxi fares are set at a reasonable and fair level.”
But taxi drivers them- selves have to wait to see if their own bills will be increased. The licensing commit- tee is expected to discuss drivers’ licens- ing fees at a meeting which was to be held on February 8.
PHTM FEBRUARY 2010
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