Politicians are set to look at proposals to more than double the lowest fee from £2.20 to £5 as part of a raft of measures aimed at overhauling of the way hackney carriages and private hires operate in Watford.

The main initiative under discussion tonight is whether to cap the number of taxi licences issued.

Wasn't she under the illusion that in deregulated areas the fares would be cheaper?? Or is that just another myth captain??

Wasn't she under the illusion that in deregulated areas the fares would be cheaper?? Or is that just another myth captain??

Wasn't she under the illusion that in deregulated areas the fares would be cheaper?? Or is that just another myth captain??

So they've got cars older than 15-years-old in Watford. No wonder they've got a problem with numbers.

And now they want to double the flag because there's too many vehicles, which would make the queues infinitely worse.

No wonder it's a mess.

And even if you agree with the profiteers and carpetbaggers who want a cap, I suspect the horse has long bolted in that regard.

If the flagfall is doubled then the result will be one awful mess.

But it won't.

This is just Planet Zog stuff from the trade, and even if many councillors are not of this earth either they're not quite as parallel universe as some in the trade. The council is probably just going through the motions and this will never see the light of day.

a requirement for drivers to issue receipts

Politicians decided to apply an age limit of 13 years for cars and 20 years for traditional London style black cabs.

taxi drivers have announced that they will propose a steep increase in the minimum fare from £2.20 to £5.

Shafiq Ahmed, chairman of the Watford Hackney Carriage Association, said the rise was needed to help drivers during a time when they are struggling to earn minimum wage.

He said: "Unfortunately Watford is not like London where the taxis are moving all the time. We are only getting a job every hour or hour and a half.

"With all the increases in insurance prices and petrol costs we can’t afford not to have a £5 minimum.

One of the points discussed at the meeting was to introduce an upper age limit for hackney carriages to improve the quality of the fleet. Politicians decided to apply an age limit of 13 years for cars and 20 years for traditional London style black cabs.

"With all the increases in insurance prices and petrol costs we can’t afford not to have a £5 minimum.

"When you are in a trade that doesn’t earn the minimum wage we have got to look at a way to improve it."

Well that will make a huge difference

Watford must make Blackpool look cutting edge.