West Berkshire Council wants your opinion on hackney carriage fares
West Berkshire Council wants your say on whether hackney carriage operators should be permitted to increase their fares or not.
The Council is required, by law, to consult on any proposed changes to the fares and would therefore welcome input from the taxi trade, residents and taxi users alike.
The Council reviews the tariffs every year. The current fees have been in place since November 2021 but due to the steep increase in fuel costs this year’s review is taking place a little earlier than planned. At the time the current fares came into operation petrol cost around £1.47 a litre and diesel £1.50 per litre. Since then the cost of fuel has increased to around £1.95 a litre for petrol and diesel around £2.00 per litre.
In essence the proposal seeks to increase the cost of a two mile from £7.40 to £8.00 when journey commences between 06:00 and 21:59 Monday to Saturday (excludes bank holidays, public holidays, 24th, 25th, 26th, 31st December and 1st January). The draft tariffs also include costs for fouling for the first time. This would mean that passengers that soiled the interior or exterior of a taxi could be charged up to £75 and £25 respectively for doing so.
The Executive, at its meeting on the 07 July 2022, agreed unanimously that the request to consult on an 8% increase in the fares against a backdrop of a 33% increase in fuel costs should be accepted.
Councillor Tom Marino, the Portfolio Holder for Internal Governance and Strategic Partnerships commented that the fouling charges were acceptable given that they reflected not only the cost of cleaning the vehicle but the revenue that would be lost while the vehicle could not be used. There were no restrictions on the number of times that the fares could be adjusted and if fuel prices came down again officers would be asked to review the fares again.
The process of setting a fare increase is complex and a balance needs to be struck between the legitimate aims of the taxi trade to maintain profitability in the face of increasing costs, while protecting the public from excessive fares.
The consultation will run from the 14 July to the 28 July 2022.
If there are objections to the proposal and they are not withdrawn the Executive will need to make a decision on whether or not to vary the fares at the 22 September meeting. If no objections are received the revised fares will come into effect on the 29 July 2022.
With so many varied voices your say can help get the right decision for all of us and ensure that both the taxi drivers and passengers get the best deal. For more information go to: Consultations - PPP (publicprotectionpartnership.org.uk)
