Taxi Driver Online

Councillors allow taxi fares to increase

https://crowboroughlife.com/wealden-cou ... emarch-22/

The maximum amount taxi drivers can charge in Wealden is set to rise, after proposals were given the go ahead by Councillors today.

Wealden District Council’s Licensing Committee agreed to increase the maximum fares the Council’s Hackney Carriage drivers can charge by ten per cent.

According to officers, the increase had been intended to reflect the rise in fuel prices since the last time maximum fares were set in 2018. However, officers also said fuel prices have risen even further since the proposals were first put out for consultation, meaning a further increase in fares may now be necessary.

As increasing fares beyond the ten per cent proposed would require a further round of consultation, the Committee opted to approve the increase as a short term measure and review the fares again in the near future.

Committee chairman Nigel Coltman said:

I think ten per cent is the minimum now, but to stop and say ‘let’s do it more’, we’d have to go out for consultation again.

So I think [we increase fares by] ten per cent now and let’s look at it again in, say, six months.

Officers, however, suggested this timeline be brought forward, with prices to be reviewed again within three months. This was agreed by the Committee.

For the time being, the increased fare cap will mean Hackney Carriage drivers can, from 9th May, charge £3.10 per journey, plus 10p for every 76.5 yards after the first (or 15p for vehicles capable of carrying more than five passengers).

This would increase to £4.10 plus 15p per 76.5 yards (or 20p for the larger vehicles) for journeys taking place on Bank Holidays or between midnight and 5.59am. Christmas and New Year fares would also increase.

During the same meeting, Councillors also agreed to update its required standards for drivers.

These would include a new mandatory requirement for drivers and operators to attend Council-approved training on safeguarding, which would be refreshed when licences are renewed.

It would also become mandatory for drivers and operators to maintain membership of a DBS update service.

The Committee also agreed to consult on the merits of utilising CCTV within taxi and private hire vehicles, other interested bodies and the public.

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IDFIMH

Councillors to consider further taxi fare rise

https://crowboroughlife.com/wealden-cou ... fare-rise/

The maximum amount taxi drivers can charge in Wealden could be set to rise for a second time this year, should proposals get the go ahead from councillors next week.

On Wednesday (3rd August), Wealden District Council’s Licensing Committee is expected to consider proposals to increase the maximum fares the council’s Hackney Carriage drivers can charge by a little under ten per cent.

If approved, the change would come on top of a ten per cent increase which came into force in May (more here). At the time, the Committee had agreed to review prices again within three months due to fluctuating fuel prices. Prior to this the last fare increase had been in 2018.

As before, the proposal is intended to reflect rising fuel prices, which Council Officers say have increased by close to 50 per cent since June 2018. The Committee is also expected to consider increasing the district’s ‘soiling charge’ to £100 to reflect the cost to drivers of having to stop and clean their cab.

Since 9th May, Hackney Carriage drivers can charge up £3.10 per journey, plus 10p for every 76.5 yards after the first (or 15p for vehicles capable of carrying more than five passengers).

If approved, this would increase to £3.40 per journey, plus 10p for every 76.5 yards after the first (or 15p for vehicles capable of carrying more than five passengers).

This would increase to £4.60 plus 15p per 76.5 yards (or 20p for the larger vehicles) for journeys taking place on Bank Holidays or between midnight and 5.59am. Christmas and New Year fares would also increase.

So all that flannel simply means the flagfall is increasing from £3.10 to £3.40, and nothing else changes?

Why not just say that?

Wealden taxi rates to go up again

The amount taxi drivers can charge in Wealden is set to rise for a second time this year, after proposals gained the go ahead from councillors.

On Wednesday (August 3), Wealden District Council’s licensing committee discussed proposals to increase the maximum fares the council’s Hackney Carriage drivers can charge by a little under ten per cent.

The increase is set to come into force from October 3.

The change comes on top of a ten per cent increase which came into force in May. At the time, the committee had agreed to review prices again within three months due to fluctuating fuel prices. Prior to this the last fare increase had been in 2018.

As before, the increase is intended to reflect rising fuel prices, which council officers say have increased by close to 50 per cent since June 2018.

Since May 9, Hackney Carriage drivers have been able to charge up to £3.10 per journey, plus 10p for every 76.5 yards after the first (or 15p for vehicles capable of carrying more than five passengers). This initial fee is set to increase to £3.40 per journey after October 3.

The maximum fare for journeys taking place on bank holidays or between midnight and 5.59am, meanwhile, would increase to £4.60 plus 15p per 76.5 yards (or 20p for the larger vehicles). Christmas and New Year fares would also increase.

While these are the maximum fares, drivers and taxi firms can and often do charge less than this amount. Notably, taxi drivers in Hailsham operate their own fare structure, which is less than the maximum set by Wealden.

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IDFIMH