Taxi Driver Online

In view of the past endless articles about booking fees, apps, mergers and new starts blah, blah (which I can't be bothered looking back to now) would never have guessed fares in Barrow haven't budged since since 2012 (at least as far as the official HC tariff is concerned).

But there you go...


Here's how much Barrow's hackney cab fares could be increased by

https://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/19768165 ... increased/

A PROPOSAL to increase hackney cab fares in Barrow for the first time in nearly a decade is set to be scrutinised by the borough council's licensing regulatory committee.

The council says any raise or reduction in fares factors in changing costs such as fuel, insurance and vehicle maintenance.

The last increase in hackney fares in the borough occurred in 2012. Since that time, fares have been reviewed on two occasions - 2016 and 2019 - with no changes being made.

A review of the fares was due to take place in 2020 but was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A report produced ahead of Thursday's licensing regulatory committee meeting says a link to an online survey was sent on September 14 of this year to all hackney carriage drivers and vehicle proprietors licensed with the council.

A council spokesman said 18 responses had been received to this public consultation and that 78 per cent had been in favour of a fare increase.

The new proposal would see increases in fares for distances of half a mile or less - from £2.40 to £2.80 between 7am and midnight, from £3.60 to £4.20 between midnight and 7am, and from £4.80 to £5.60 on bank holidays, Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.

The rate for each one-tenth of a mile driven after the half-mile mark would remain the same at all times of the year.

However, for hirings begun between midnight and 7am, the 'waiting time' cost would increase from 15p to 20p for each 30 seconds. For bank holiday, Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve hire, this figure would increase from 20p to 40p.

Under the new costings, the average two-mile fare, not including waiting time, in the borough would be £5.80 between 7am and midnight, up from £5.40. In South Lakeland, the cost of a two-mile daytime journey currently stands at £6.40. In Copeland, the figure is £5.

Members of the licensing regulatory committee will have the option to approve the proposed tariffs outlined, to approve an amended increase, or to make no changes to the current fares.

So fares are hopefully going up by just under 10%.

But RPI has gone up by 30% (ish) since 2012.

I just can't understand why thousands of drivers are leaving the trade.

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IDFIMH

Depends what fares have actually been charged over the last decade, though.

Seem to recall a couple of years ago one of those articles from Barrow about 'taxi' fares going up, but think it was about the offices bringing their fares more into line with the council tariff.

So I suspect actual fares paid by the public have went up over the years, despite that not being reflected on the official tariff card.

(And I think the offices in Barrow are generally HCs, or at least mixed HC/PH fleets.)

I would imagine fares charged by the operators would mirror the council's tariff if most of the fleet up there are hackneys.

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IDFIMH