FARES AND FEES
NO NEW AGREEMENT FOR SHORT TRIP GUILDFORD FARES
Taxi fares for short jour- neys in Guildford were not decreased in time for Christmas following further disagreements between Guildford BC’s licensing commit- tee and drivers. A new fare structure is being proposed based on the London sys- tem, meaning fares would have to be reviewed each year. Drivers, however, say the council’s estima- tions of dead time and average journey dis- tance are inaccurate. According to the Sur- rey Times, the pro- posed system would have meant cheaper fares for short jour- neys, which drivers said make up most of
their business. They said they would be left severely out of pocket if
the proposed
changes had been implemented. Some drivers have now been sent a letter asking them to pro- vide information so that a revised propos- al can be presented to the committee before going to the executive in January. Mark Rostron, vice- chairman and sec- retary of Guildford Hackney Association, said that the council should have consulted with drivers before making their calcula- tions. He said that the tariffs would have been disastrous for
drivers. At present drivers can add a £1 fuel sur- charge onto fares. The proposed
scheme
abandons this and sets a maximum charge, of £3 for the first half mile, with 30p for each 220 yards thereafter. Drivers are also able to charge an extra 50p for each passenger
in
excess of one. The pro- posed scheme allows 50p for each passenger in excess of four, mean- ing that drivers of saloon cars would receive no extra money. Cllr David Elms, who chairs the licensing committee, said: “I am most optimistic that we will try to get a dif- ficult issue solved.”
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PAGE 14
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STOCKTON DRIVERS TO BE OFFERED LICENCE FEE REDUCTION
Stockton cabbies are to receive a financial boost as the council will reduce vehicle renewal fees for both hackney and private hire drivers by £30. It currently costs taxi drivers £365 a year to license their vehicles and the reduction is an eight per cent drop.
The council, which must maintain a sepa- rate taxi
licensing
account by law, has been running at a sur- plus. The reduction will be introduced in January and reviewed after three years. Tahir Ali, secretary of the Stockton Hackney Carriage
Drivers’
Association, told the Northern Echo: “We very much welcome the decision by Stock- ton BC as this will benefit our members. “It is something we had suggested so it is great to see Stockton Borough Council lis- tening to the trade and us working together.”
CHARGE HIKES FOR NORTHAMPTON CABBIES
Charge hikes are on the way for cab firms in Northampton from next April. A report
before
Northampton Borough Council’s
committee is recom- mending increases for private hire and hack- ney carriage operators and drivers as well. The Guildhall say the rises have been trig- gered by the rising cost of administration,
licensing
compliance checks, software and manu- facture of badges and plates. Councillors will be asked to opt for a rise in charges which would see the renewal of a cabbie’s licence with a CRB check rise from £91.50 this year to £101 next. According to the Northampton Chroni- cle,
the hackney carriage written test
will rise from £50 to £55 while a new pri- vate
application will
crease from £90 to £99. In a report before the committee,
hire/hackney in-
senior
licensing officer Philip Bayliss said: “The pro- posal
is aimed at
recovering the cost of the licensing service to the council. If this is not achieved the serv- ice will run at a deficit.”
PHTM JANUARY 2013
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