Taxi Driver Online

Council defers decision on Melton taxi fare increases

https://www.meltontimes.co.uk/news/poli ... -1-8779426

Taxi passengers in the Melton borough could soon be paying more in fares if a request from cabbies is approved by the council.

Members of the licensing committee deferred a decision on the increase at their latest meeting when they considered raising fares for the first time in nearly five years.

A report which went before councillors stated that taxi drivers felt the rise would help offset rising inflation and increases in the cost of fuel since the last increase, which was adopted in April 2014.

Stuart Wilkinson, a driver with the town’s Elaine’s Taxis wrote to the council to request a review of fares and says he is backed by a quarter of cabbies currently working in the borough.

A Melton Council spokesperson said: “The Licensing Committee deferred their decision regarding taxi fare increases until they have received further information which will better inform their decision.

“A report will be considered by the Licensing Committee in the coming months.”

Had a smart-arse comment in mind about bosses cracking the whip in the background here, but have decided instead to say nothing

Stuart is his own man and speaks for more than 25% of the drivers. The reason for the deferment is actually because the figures submitted by Stu on behalf of the trade were put in the report wrong. They had a second go and still managed to get them wrong. So Stu had a meeting with the LO on Monday so hopefully next time it will be right. The overall rise is about 10%.

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Grandad,

actually although it has gone up and down a bit I would say that fuel is the one thing that hasn't gone up significantly over 5 years whereas council fees;insurance and car parts have gone up substantially

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Again, that was a misleading statement. The comments on the newspaper article reflect this.

XXXXX XXXXXXX Fuel prices can be volatile but there are no higher than in 2014 according to the RAC. Helped in a large part of fuel duty freezes.

All that said there will be many other factors to the cost of running a taxi and its got to be worthwhile for the driver too.
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Stu Wilkinson Other factors include insurance, mot, council mot, tax, plates, top signs, meters, taxi badge, tyres, bulbs, valeting, repairs, maintenance, wages, office staff, office cost, car signage, banking, card payment supplements, to mention a few. This list is not exhaustive by any means.
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Grandad,

The new table of fares has now gone out for public consultation which begins on April 4th for 2 weeks and if no objections are received the new table of fares will come into force on May 1st 2019.
However there is still one mistake on the new table of fares but the drivers decided to "let it go" without complaining because it would have probably led to a further delay and it was only on the waiting time for rate 3.

Rate 1 from 07.00 until 23.00 for up to 4 passengers
£3.00 flag for 1/2 mile
£1.80 per mile
£20.00 waiting per hour

Rate 2 from 23.00 until 07.00 for up to 4 passengers
£3.75 flag for 1/2 mile
£2.25 per mile
£25.00 waiting per hour

Rate 3 from 07.00 until 23.00 for 5 to 8 passengers
£4.50 flag for 1/2 mile
£2.70 per mile
£20.00 waiting per hour

Rate 4 from 23.00 until 07.00 for 5 to 8 passengers and bank holidays
£6.00 flag for 1/2 mile
£3.60 per mile
£40.00 waiting per hour

Rate 5 bank holiday rate for 5 to 8 passengers
£9.00 flag for 1/2 miles
£5.40 per mile
£60.00 waiting per hour

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Grandad,

If no objections are received the new fares are chargeable on the 18th.

received the new table of fares will come into force on May 1st 2019.

the public consultation is 2 weeks the announced start date is may 1st

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

we have extras only for more than 4 passengers and the council INSIST on that

there was a proposal a couple of years ago for ours to change BUT it is always a low flag with no distance included and it got dropped

we could put our up as we are deregulated BUT last time someone tried that it caused an outrage and big loss of custom as people judge the cost by the flag fall so none dares set a flag higher than anyone else

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

You and I both know this but I have only posted what our council have stated.

(3) If no objection to a table of fares or variation is duly made within the period
specified in the notice referred to in subsection (2) of this section, or if all objections
so made are withdrawn, the table of fares or variations shall come into operation on
the date of the expiration of the period specified in the notice or the date of
withdrawal of the objection or, if more than one, of the last objection, whichever date
is the later.

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Grandad,

£60 an hour waiting time?

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IDFIMH

KERCHING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not that any punter would pay that

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Rate 5 is for bank holidays only for the bigger vehicles. Waiting time here is not for waiting for the punters it is for when you are sat at traffic lights etc. So in reality it is not likely to amount to very much at all particularly because there are very few taxis that work bank holidays here and even less of the bigger ones.

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Grandad,

Not always the case I have several pensioner customers that ask for drivers to sit outside supermarkets whilst they shop did one today who lives 400 yards from Waitrose

took her there and back and then 3 miles up the road to her friends for lunch £15.50 of which probably £8.00 was waiting time (at £12 an hour)

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Just how many pensioners are going to go shopping on a bank holiday and have at least 5 people travelling?

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Grandad,