Nuneaton taxi bosses plea for taxi fare riseTAXI-users across Nuneaton and Bedworth could soon have to fork out more to hop into a cab.
Members of the Nuneaton and Bedworth Taxi Proprietors Association are asking borough council bosses to give the green light to a 3.9 per cent rise in fare prices, after the first mile.
It is just over a year since the association last asked Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council to agree a rise, ten per cent, but this was ruled an 'un-fare' increase.
But, in a letter to councillor Gwynne Pomfrett, cabinet member for central services, it is stated that the last increase was three years ago and much more costs are now incurred by taxi firms and drivers, such as the rise in the National Minimum Wage, an increase in application fees, as well as maintenance costs and fuel.
Martin Walker, chair of the association, said: "We understand that costs go up and are in favour of increases in the minimum wage as taxi drivers are totally under estimated when it comes to their value to the community at large. Having said that we must have the means at our disposal to allow this to happen, our only source of revenue is the fare that we charge and you the Local Authority control that.
"At our last meeting we requested an increase of ten per cent in the belief that was the amount that would bring us back to the status quo position of four years ago. Councillor John Haynes voiced his concerns about the elderly being able to afford the costs of short journeys to the shops etc."
He went on to add: "It is not our intention to create any additional burden for senior or disabled members of our community and let the records show that we have always acted in their best interests providing transport 24 hours a day, seven days a week therefore bringing comfort to their concerns in cases of emergency needs."
The letter goes on to add: "Please in your deliberations on this matter consider the value that our trade brings to Nuneaton and Bedworth, operating 24-hours-a-day transporting people both disabled and abled bodied people in total safety.
"Please remember that our drivers are trying to attain a reasonable quality of life for themselves and their families.
"We are not greedy avaricious people as some would have us painted, we are just businesses looking for a fair return so that it gives us the means to pay our staff a reasonable wage and give us the opportunity to reinvest into new vehicles, keep abreast of ever increasing maintenance costs and other expenses."
Taxi fares across Nuneaton and Bedworth currently stand at £6.25 for a two mile fare, which is five pence more than Birmingham and 45p more than North Warwickshire and 65p more than Hinckley. Only Coventry has a higher two mile fare at £6.30.
If the 3.9 per cent increase is discussed by Cllr Pomfrett and is ultimately rubber-stamped by the licensing committee, the new charge for two miles will be £6.49.
Cllr Pomfrett will look at the application to change the taxi fares tarrif during a single member cabinet meeting at the Town Hall on Tuesday.
Read more:
http://www.nuneaton-news.co.uk/Cab-boss ... z3pBrxco1m
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