Witham Taxi driver hits out at fare increase

Raising taxi fares across the Braintree district is not justified, according to an experienced cab driver. Braintree Hackney Carriage Association has put forward proposals to increase the starting rate for fares from £3.20 to £3.50 and the waiting time from £18 to £21 per hour.

Former chairman John Cenci, who has been a taxi driver operating in the district since 2009, said: “I don’t think it is viable.The association has antiquated views and the rise is not justified. “I don’t know a single driver who works at Witham taxi rank who voted for the fare increase. “We don’t think it is fair on people, our main concern is the commuters. “The problem is when you get to time-and-a-half it would make it £5.25 instead of £4.80 and it’s too much.”

The last fare increase was November 2013 when the starting rate for journeys increased from £3 to £3.20. A higher tariff of 50 per cent is used between 11pm and 6am on Sundays and public holidays and between 6pm and 11pm on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. A third tariff, double the original, is used during the early hours of Christmas and New Year’s Day.

A letter sent to the licensing committee by association chairman Alan Holden said: “This is to keep up with the cost of living, fuel, insurance, vehicle parts and maintenance.

“We have not had an increase for three years and waiting time has not increased for a considerable time. We tried to keep the cost to the customers down for three years but we feel this increase is necessary to reclaim back some of the expenses and to keep the vehicles in the high standard they are at the moment.” The rise would mean some customers paying £7 before a taxi moves and were due to be discussed this week.

“We don’t think it is fair on people, our main concern is the commuters. “

Yet if he worked in an office he'd be on the picket line every year demanding a pay rise (most get an increase every year as standard anyway), and any wage increase gets passed on to the customer.

How many of those commuters he's concerned about have had a pay rise in the last 5 years since fares last increased ?

Minimum wage is to rise once again by 30p/hour in April - Where's my pay rise ?
If we're lucky we get an extra 20p flag drop every five years, during the last 5 years min wage has increased by £1.20/hour. Saying that our firm charges 2006 rates, our T2 is lower than the current council T1 ! Madness.