Carlisle council approves 4 per cent rise in city taxi faresTaxi fares in Carlisle are set to rise by around four per cent next month.
City councillors approved the increase, which will apply from October 6, yesterday. It will come into force unless anyone objects before the end of this month.
The council’s regulatory panel heard that the costs of running a taxi have risen by 5.93 per cent in a year.
Licensing officer Sue Stashkiw said: “If this fare increase is applied, Carlisle will have the second-highest charges in Cumbria.
“That is appropriate, because in a city traffic is more congested and because Carlisle sets the highest standards for its taxis and has the highest costs.”
The cost of a two-mile daytime journey will rise from £5.10 to £5.30. A 10-mile trip, such as Longtown to Carlisle, will increase from £21.10 to £21.90.
The £5.30 fare for two miles compares with £4.60 in Barrow and Copeland, £4.85 in Allerdale and £5 in South Lakeland. Only Eden, at £5.50, charges more.
Labour councillor Willie Whalen was troubled by the increase.
He said: “I understand the difficulties taxi drivers are having to make ends meet but I wouldn’t like it to be the rule that each time there is a review, there is an automatic increase in fares. People are really struggling. We shouldn’t just rubber stamp the increase.”
Carlisle taxi fares have two elements. There is a fixed-rate flagfall, which applies to the first 0.7 miles of a journey. This will rise from £2.50 to £2.70.
Beyond 0.7 miles, fares climb by 20p for each 176 yards travelled. This will be reduced to 170 yards.
If there are objections, any increase will be postponed until after the regulatory panel meets again on October 19.
source:
http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/