Fares increase to 'drive people away' from using Bristol taxi services Taxi fares in Bristol could go up by almost a third.
The director of one of the city’s largest firms has condemned the proposal, saying the increases are unrealistic.
Hugh Hunt, who runs Streamline Taxis, the fourth biggest taxi firm in Bristol, said the increases would prevent some people from being able to catch a cab.
He said: "The fare increases are going to drive people away from using taxis, particularly the business community and the leisure market on Saturdays and Sundays.
"I accept that fares need to go up but not by this much. Wages and salaries have not gone up anything like what is proposed."
He said the daytime rate on Saturdays and Sundays would go up from £1.68 per mile to £2.20 - an increase of 31 per cent.
The normal day rate from Mondays to Fridays would go up from £1.61 per mile to £2, an increase of 24 per cent.
In another example, the night rate would go from £1.88 per mile to £2.20 per mile, an increase of 17 per cent and would start at 9pm, not 11pm as now.
Mr Hunt said council taxpayers would suffer because taxis are used to ferry some children to school and the fares are paid from the council’s social services budget.
The proposed fare increases were drawn up by the city council after negotiating with the trade for about a year.
Pat Jones, chairwoman of the Bristol Taxi Association said there had not been any increases for nearly two and half years.
She said: "When the two previous increases were made, the trade was mindful of the economic situation and consequently we only asked for four or five per cent each time.
"But now we’ve reached a stage where we just cannot absorb that kind of increase any more.
"The price of an average job has not gone up that much so I don’t think people will notice."
People have 14 days to lodge an objection by emailing
licensing@bristol.gov.uk or write to: Bristol City Council, Licensing Office, Princess House, Princess Street, Bristol BS3 4NG.
Once the consultation period has ended, the council will make a final decision whether to adopt the new fares which affect hackney carriages - cabs that can be hailed in the street. Private hire cars must be pre-booked.
Cabbies have to use the agreed tariffs inside the city boundaries but if they take passengers into outlying areas, they can negotiate a price before setting off.
Mr Hunt said this had led to people being ripped off and being charged as much as £50 for a one way journey from Bristol to Clevedon or £25 from the city centre to Whitchurch where part of the suburb lies in Bath and North East Somerset.
A council spokesman said: "We received a request to increase taxi fares from the hackney carriage trade, the first increase since early 2011.
"A briefing was given to the mayor in his capacity as holding the transport brief setting out the requested increase and its impact in relation to current fares.
"The mayor requested officers to make some amendments which were approved at a further subsequent briefing.
"The fares were then advertised in accordance with the statutory process.
"If any objections are received that cannot be resolved the matter will be passed to cabinet for consideration.
"If there are no objections then the new fare structure will come into effect at the end of June."
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