Taxi Driver Online

Struggling taxi drivers hit out at council plan to hike fees in Blaenau Gwent

https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/ ... nau-gwent/

PLANS to hike the cost of taxi licensing fees above the rate of inflation in Blaenau Gwent have been met with opposition from the trade.

Blaenau Gwent council is proposing to increase the annual cost of vehicle renewal and drivers licence fees from £296 to £350 a year.

Additional costs for licence holders needing replacement plates or licences have also been proposed.

The proposed rise comes after taxi fares were increased, with the maximum cost for a two mile journey increasing from £4.10 to £5.20.

A council report says the fare increase will help cover the proposed license fee hike.

But a letter from Blaenau Gwent Hackney and Private Hire Taxi Association has strongly criticised the plans.

It says any increase should not be above the inflation rate of 3.21 per cent.

However the association calculates plate renewals are going up around 20 per cent, while badge renewal costs are rising by around 14 per cent.

"We understand that you agreed an increase in taxi fares on August 1, 2018 but this was just allowing us to play catch up on the seven years since the previous increase on April 1, 2011," the letter says.

"This has not increased our income and like other businesses in the area we still struggle with the rise in the cost of living and lower footfall."

Running costs continue to increase, and the association says drivers are lucky to make "anywhere near" the national minimum wage.

The association adds that Blaenau Gwent is one of the most deprived areas in Wales, but that licence fees in other areas are lower.

A council report says fees charged are based on costs incurred to deliver the service.

Setting fees based on those of neighbouring authorities is no longer allowed.

Guidance says fees set should be 'reasonable', but the over-riding intention of taxi licensing is to protect public safety.

The report says this year's proposed rise is slightly higher as there was no increase in fees last year.

The proposed fee increases will be discussed by Blaenau Gwent council's General Licensing Committee at a special meeting on Tuesday.

So a 27% fare hike hasn't increased their income?

And therein lies the problem - doesn't matter what fare levels are if the work isn't there, and rises of that size certainly don't encourage people to use cabs.

Struggle to argue with that.

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IDFIMH