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PostPosted: Tue Feb 15, 2022 12:27 pm 
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A bit different from the normal 'fare hike' article, but although this might be of some interest to those who don't know how these things are done, maybe a bit waffly for the trade anoraks on here.

But worth remembering that Lancaster was one of those places where there were articles not that long ago on how the whole world was collapsing because drivers were run off their feet all the time, which arguably contradicts the following, to a degree at least.

But at least back then there were no firms saying drivers were earning £1,000 a week, or whatever :roll:


Taxi drivers across Lancaster and Morecambe ‘need a rise in charges for a living income’

https://www.lancs.live/news/lancashire- ... t-23097952

Taxi drivers’ income has fallen so much over the years that many now rely on tax credits, Lancaster City Council‘s cabinet has been told.

Although the hackney carriage taxi system is full of ‘Dickensian’ language from Victorian times, modern taxi drivers should not face Dickensian conditions, it was said.

Balancing the need for taxi drivers to earn a decent income against passengers’ needs for affordable transport and a backdrop of rising costs was highlighted during talks on potential tariff increases.

Councillors on the cabinet generally accepted that taxi charges need to rise. The difficulty is agreeing a method to set increases across a range of charges which are acceptable to drivers and passengers.

Local councils are responsible for setting hackney carriage taxi charges. At Lancaster City Council, most details are dealt with by the Licensing Committee. But final approval for any charge increases is taken by the cabinet.

At the latest cabinet meeting at Morecambe Town Hall, various options were discussed, including different charges calculated on times or distances travelled, and the potential impact on different types of passengers, from school children to old people, supermarket shoppers to people going to airports.

During a public questions session, taxi driver Andrew Kay said fuel costs, vehicle servicing, tyres, insurance and inflation costs had all risen faster than earnings and tariffs.

He said: ” I have been driving taxis since 1982, more or less. There was traditionally an arrangement to share income three ways between the driver, the vehicle running costs and the owner of the vehicle. In the past, once all this was accounted for, drivers could still make a living. Today, many drivers are relying on tax credits and other things to survive.

“I work less hours these days. But to make the level of income now that I earned when I first started driving, I would have to work day and night, six days a week.”

Green councillor Dave Brookes thanked Mr Kay for his comments. Commenting on the Dickensian language of the taxi system, with phrases like ‘hackney carriages’ and ‘yardage’, Coun Brookes added: “Drivers’ working conditions should not be Dickensian and it’s worrying that some drivers have to rely on tax credits.”

He said charges had to be agreed with the trade and a good review process was needed with meaningful consultations.

A cabinet report stated there had been no fare review or rise in fares since 2019, when a 20p increase on ‘flag fall’ was approved. So a review all fares including flag fall, rolling charges, waiting times, soiling charges and booking fees was advised.

The city council’s Licensing Committee had recommended an ‘uplift’ to flag fall across three tariffs by 50p and a 10p rise to waiting charges. That way, the taxi trade would soon receive a rise proportionate to the current climate. However, the recommended increases were not supported by an agreed method with the taxi trade, the report added.

Coun Brookes said: “Consultation is important because it can save time in the long term and it should result in less objections. We need to ensure this happens. However the licensing committee is the democratic forum for consultation and the cabinet should respect that.”

Labour councillor Colin Hartley, who is chairman of the Licensing Committee, said a process was already in place for charges and consultation, which he thought was acceptable.

He added: “Income for drivers is important but we also have to bear in mind that many customers are on low or fixed incomes. It’s a tightrope that we walk down all the time. ”

However, Coun Brookes suggested the cabinet should not vote on the current recommendations from the Licensing Committee yet. Instead, he suggested some ‘swift, informal’ consultations be held with the taxi trade then the cabinet could look at final recommendations at a future meeting, probably in April.

This was agreed although some councillors asked if was realistic to expect a new method to be agreed in time for a cabinet meeting in the spring.

Labour councillor Erica Lewis asked if the council’s licensing staff team, which was quite small, had the capability to do more work. Coun Brookes said he had spoken to an officer and was told yes.

Councillors agreed that new arrangements should be agreed and confirmed as soon as possible, so taxi drivers would see the benefit.

Conservative councillor Andrew Gardiner, who is not on the cabinet, asked some questions and also said that taxi tariffs were essential for good driver and passenger health-and-safety. Drivers working long hours could be a danger as well as vehicles not being properly maintained because of rising costs.

In addition to costs, the Covid-19 pandemic has brought many challenges for the licensed taxi trade too, the meeting heard. Many drivers were not renewing their licenses and were seeking other work. So the city council was working with other organisations to support the taxi trade and encourage new applicants, through funding for training.


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2022 5:45 pm 
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Taxi fares to rise after Lancaster cabbies have their say

Lancaster City Council agreed at its cabinet meeting to approve plans for updated tariff charges proposed and backed by hackney drivers, which take into account rising costs.

An informal consultation was carried out by council officers with the local licensed trade.

In addition to the specified hackney carriage drivers, private hire drivers and operators were included in the consultation as decisions taken can inadvertently affect the wider trade.

The response saw a third of the 485 individual licence holders in the district (drivers and operators) completing the survey.

Their recommended tariff, supported by 82 per cent, will result in an increase to flag fall (the fixed start rate), rolling rate and amend yardage applied.

Smaller journeys will be subject to a minor increase with journeys over five miles being subject to a 10 to 15 per cent increase.

The time-and-a-half/double time rates on this tariff will see fares raised between 10 and 24 per cent.

The new tariff charges are:

Tariff 1 (For hirings commenced between 07.01 and 23.59)

1 mile: £4, 0.00% increase

2 miles: £6, 3.45% increase

3 miles: £8, 9.59% increase

4 miles: £10, 9.89% increase

5 miles: £12, 10.09% increase

10 miles: £22, 13.99% increase

20 miles: £42, 15.38%

Tariff 2 (For hirings commenced between midnight and 07.00, between 19.00 and midnight on December 24, between 19.00 and midnight on December 31 and on any Bank Holiday or Public Holiday)

1 mile: £6, 9.09% increase

2 miles: £9, 13.93% increase

3 miles: £12, 16.50% increase

4 miles: £15, 18.11% increase

5 miles: £18, 19.21% increase

10 miles: £33, 21.77% increase

20 miles: £63, 23.29% increase

Tariff 3 (For hirings commenced between 00.01 December 25 and 07.00 December 27 and between 00.01 January 1 and 07.00 January 2)

1 mile: £8, 17.65% increase

2 miles: £12, 20.00% increase

3 miles: £16, 21.21% increase

4 miles: £20, 21.95% increase

5 miles: £24, 22.45% increase

10 miles: £44, 23.60% increase

20 miles: £84, 24.26% increase

In addition:

For each passenger in excess of one (Two children aged 11 or under to count as one passenger for the whole distance): 20p

For each perambulator or article of luggage carried outside the passenger compartment of the vehicle: 20p

Soiling charge: £100 maximum

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PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2022 5:47 pm 
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Quote:
Tariff 1 (For hirings commenced between 07.01 and 23.59)

1 mile: £4, 0.00% increase

2 miles: £6, 3.45% increase

So for a significant percentage of jobs, the increase will be either sweet f*** all, or well below the inflation rate.

Only in the taxi/PH trade could you have representatives as thick as this. #-o

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PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2022 7:15 pm 
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Again it would seem Councillors and Officers do not understand that a passenger in a licensed vehicle is a person regardless of age, they cannot operate a system telling
drivers to carry more than they are licensed (plated) for, eight children under 11 years of age in a vehicle licensed for 4 passengers.


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