Taxi Driver Online

The following article is from the front of todays South Wales Echo

Cardiff taxi fare hike

City cab journeys up by 12p a mile in time for Christmas

The cost of a city cab journey has risen by 12p a mile.

Cardiff council has approved an immediate hike of just under 5% on the price of trips around the city.

Taxi drivers welcomed the increase but residents say cabs were already expensive enough.

The hike, the first since February 2005, adds around 12p to a mile or 30p on a two-and-a-half mile trip from the city centre to Whitchurch

For journeys at night, the citys cabbies were given a 4.23% increase.

It is the first time the councils public protection commiittee has approved a price hike in nearly two years after throwing out two previous applications.

A further price increase in the cost of hiring taxis between 8pm on Christmas Eve and 6am on Deceber 27 and from 8pm on New Years Eve to 6am on January 2nd was also approved.

A £5 extra charge instead of £3 will now apply to such journeys, the first increase since 2001.

In its application, the Cardiff Hackney Carriage Association said that an increase was needed because of rises in the cost of fuel and road tax, and licensing costs.

Mohammad Javaid. chairman of the Association, said "Drivers have faced considerable rising costs ranging from maintenance bills to the cost of fuel. We welcome the decision to approve the increase."

Driver Martin Rowley had initially objected to the rise, claiming it would deter people from using taxis and would damage the trade. But the objection was withdrawn before going before the committee.

Councllor Brian Griffiths, who chairs the committee, said " I dont like to see costs for the public going up. But I think the rise is reasonable given it is almost two years since fares last rose."

Customer David Robinson, 28, of Pontypridd, said: "The taxis are expensive enough as it is to get from one part of the city to another. I dont see why they are putting prices up"

Lukas Todd, 20, of Linden Avenue, Roath, Cardiff, a mesis student at Glamorgan University, said " Getting from where I live to Llandaff has cost me £5, The taxis are so expensive anyway I usually go by bus. If you're in a group its ok because you're spreading the cost but its too expensive to go on your own"

Phillip Nifield
Political & Business Editor


And then this is the "Echo Comment"

The news that taxi fares are going up is bad news for Christmas partygoers.

This is the time of year when taxis are at their busiest with office parties.

Drivers are faced with tough decisions in trying to balance the costs of running their business with the expctancy of their customers.
But at the end of the day the timing is awfull and we ask the taxi drivers
: What happened to Christmas cheer !

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HOW MUCH !!!!!!

About time we had a rise !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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HOW MUCH !!!!!!

But the decision wasn't political then, good on you.



So we can afford brake pads so we don't kill people



I got to say it Lukas, shi* name buddy, unlucky!

If you go on a bus then you cant really comment too much now can you



I'm quite sure the drivers would prefer to be at chrimbo parties, the timing isn't awful, its perfect, the busiest time of the year and by the time its over the public will be fully aware of the new fare structure.

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

HTF can 12p a mile be classed as a hike?

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IDFIMH

Does anyome know of the public to be anything other than SELF CENTRED??????????????????/

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The views expressed by this contributor do not neccesarily reflect the policys of The GMB Nationally or of the GMB London Region.

I'm glad I'm not working in Cardiff over Christmas then (although I must add what a wonderful sense of humour you have there having been sent in the wrong direction by two of you the other evening - very funny not!) Extra £5 on each fare - we're on double rate from 1800 hrs on the 24th to 0600 on the 27th and 1800 on the 31st to 0600 on the 2nd.

And just to rub it in a little bit more our latest price increase was approx 40p per mile on top of the 15% increase we got two years ago

We are on £3.00 start and 15p every 120 meters from midnight on the 23rd right through to 7am on the 3rd of Jan,
There is only 5p difrence from out normal midnight charge, with the meter starting at £3.oo and 10p every 120m, it starts at £2,00 before that.