Taxi Driver Online

Black cabs in Manchester to start meters sooner as fares set to rise


Black cabs will start their meters running sooner – and faster – under plans to raise fares.

Taxis in Manchester are set to increase journey prices by 4.3 per cent following an annual review.

It means a ride in one of the city’s Hackney carriages will cost £7.60 for a three-mile journey during the day and £10 at night under plans due to be approved by councillors this week.

The changes will also allow drivers to start their meters, with a £2.30 charge, after 370 metres – compared to the current 387 metres – or 224 metres at night, between the hours of 10pm and 6am.

Fares will rise by 20p every 174 metres thereafter, instead of 182 metres currently, during daytime hours and every 130m at night. There will also be a rise, from £20 to £30, in the amount drunk passengers have to pay for a cleaning charge if they are sick in the cab.

The changes, which are said to have been agreed by drivers were approved by licensing chiefs yesterday and are due to come into force on June 1.

Coun Nigel Murphy, Manchester’s executive member for the environment, said: “The city council reviews Manchester’s hackney carriage fares annually, using a formula based on factors such as rising fuel and insurance costs.

“This year, after applying the formula, a 5.8 per cent fare increase was indicated, but the committee was concerned about Manchester taxi passengers getting hit in the pocket, as well as black cab drivers potentially getting priced out of the market.

“Following consultation with the trade, a recommendation was made to the committee of an alternative increase of 4.33 per cent.

“The committee and trade have also agreed to look at ways of amending the formula in future years.”

Councillors have refused additional increases to cover the cost of barrier charges for black cabs picking up or dropping off at Manchester Airport and Piccadilly Station.

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchesterevening ... et-to-rise

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

Is this mis-quoted? Surely they mean that the meter is started at the begining of the journey and it starts to go up after the 370 metres.

_________________
Grandad,

The MEN have an awful habit of making sure Manchester's black cab trade are never accurately reported.

CC

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

Yes, it's certainly not very clear, but I suspect the vast majority will know what it means, even if it could have been expressed more accurately.

It says initially that drivers will start their meters 'running' after a certain distance, which I'm sure everyone will realise that means when it starts clicking up, but strictly speaking it's not accurate since the meter is 'running' when the cab departs, obviously.

Manchester Evening news very seldom get things right. For such a large catchment area (GMA pop 2.25 million)
the MEN is a pi*spoor newspaper.

The fare increase is only 4.3%, take that against fuel increase of 20% plus and it is nothing, but of course, that is not mentioned.

I feel you are drifting into MEN mode there.

Depending on the numbers a 4.3% rise could well cater for a 20% plus increase in fuel.

_________________
IDFIMH

Yes, your right I should have made my clearer. I think I could get a job on MEN on the basuis of that statement.

I obviously meant, at this moment in time, where passenger numbers are well down, the 4.3% increase, when measured against other increases i.e. 20% on fuel. The Fare increase is not to expensive.