Dear Councillors,

The taxi trade is seeking a further review of the Hackney Carriage Fares table to keep in line with the current CPI rate which is also taking place in many other licensing areas. 

We have not taken into consideration the projected CPI rate which has been predicted to rise even further over the next few months (18% Jan 23). 

However, taking into consideration the ‘Fare Review’ from earlier this year the proposed revised table will now bring the revision in line with, and still below, the current CPI rate. 

In order to maintain the service of driving a taxi for a living there are specific factors which must be taken into consideration which include purchasing/maintaining vehicles to the required standard and the cost of fuel.

In addition to this the most important factor is attracting drivers to not only join the trade but to also stay within it as there has been a considerable loss of ‘local’ drivers since over the years as driving a ’locally licensed’ taxi seems to be deemed less viable then getting licensed under another local authority and predominantly working here in the city.

Working with Martin Seymour from the Licensing Department as a united trade consisting of around ten groups, a revised fare table has been debated at great length and unanimously agreed on.

It should be pointed out that the agreed new table of fares is actually lower than was originally offered to us which had an increased ‘Night-time’ charge from 9 pm to 6am.

The trade unanimously agreed not to support the suggested time period for this as we considered that this would mostly affect people coming home from work on the trains as well as possibly affecting those who were starting an early evening shift such as nurses and others.

Taking these reasons into consideration the trade unanimously agreed that the new ‘Late Night’ charge that was offered to us should be implement from 12 midnight to 6 am instead of 9 pm to 6 am.

The local licensed trade seeks the support from all councillors on the Licensing Committee on the proposed revision of the ‘Fare Review’

 Many thanks. 

 On behalf of the Trade Forum.