Taxi Driver Online

Rise in taxi fares ‘would be a disaster’, claims Workington cabbie




A taxi driver has warned that a forced fares increase could spell disaster for the already troubled trade.

Speaking ahead of a meeting this week where Allerdale councillors could decide to put the fares up on hackney vehicles, Ray Cottier said it would be a bad move.

The council has been consulting with taxi drivers about what changes, if any, should be brought in. Only four traders have replied to the authority – all of them backing a price hike.

But self-employed Mr Cottier, who says that the majority of taxis in Workington want the fare to remain the same, said that there is a constant fall in the number of customers and he fears if people are asked to pay even more, they will boycott taxis.

“I’ve been asking around town – some are for it but more are against,” he said. “The recession has hit Workington and is hitting taxis very hard. A lot of people who would get taxis in the past are now getting busses or walking.

“I am losing custom. On Friday morning between 10am and 11.30am I had one customer and that is really bad. Each day I am getting less and less.

“The regular people who used taxis are not getting in and are just walking past,” added Mr Cottier.

Those in the trade who want an increase have said that it needs to be brought in to “keep up with all the other constantly rising costs,” including licence fees, fuel and vehicle maintenance.

The last time fares were increased in Allerdale was June 2010, which saw it rise from £2.60 to £2.90 for the first mile.

But for the past three years it has been frozen.

Allerdale reviews the table of fares on an annual basis, after consulting with local firms. Any changes to the fares will come into force on April 1, provided no objections are received.

At Wednesday’s Licensing Committee, councillors will review the hackney carriage fares and can recommend to either keep them at the current level, or make changes.

source: http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/rise- ... 1.1112628#

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

So why didn't Mr Cottier reply to the consultation?

_________________
Grandad,

Because he is akin to the 95% of the trade that sit back and do nothing until it's too late, and then bellyache to buggery when it doesn't go their way.

Hopefully he and his anti rise colleagues have learnt a lesson, but don't hold your breath.

_________________
IDFIMH

Well I'm sure he'll be delighted to know that he can discount the fare rate to as low as he likes if he's so worried about it

_________________
Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

CORRECT ...............................SUSSEX

_________________
All posts by this contributor are made in a strictly personal capacity

I AM PROUD TO BE A CITIZEN NOBODY'S SUBJECT http://www.republic.org.u

F88K EM ALL WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

BOOZE BOOZE BOOZE

He doesn't have to charge the fare but, I bet he's the first there having his meter changed for the new fares.

Taxi fares increase to be reviewed by Allerdale council





Allerdale councillors will look again at plans to increase taxi fares.

Last month, the council voted to increase journeys by 10p – making it the first price change in four years.

But some cabbies say they would have to make hundreds of fares to fund a change to their meter to accommodate a 10p price hike.

The matter will be discussed again next week by councillors sitting on Allerdale’s licensing panel.

Davies Taxis, of Keswick, has objected to the planned increase.

They say the “minimal” financial gain didn’t justify the cost of having to get their meters recalibrated.

The taxi company has been invited to the meeting.

And Workington taxi driver Ray Cottier has previously said that increasing the cost by just 10p is a “waste of time.”

He said: “All it means is that the first mile goes up from £2.90 to £3,” he said.

The licensing panel has been given two recommendations. They can either keep the table of fares as originally proposed – 300 pence for the first mile, which comes into effect on June 1 – or change it to come into effect also on June 1.

But taxi driver Brian Sparks said: “The Hackney carriage table of fares is in need of urgent increase.

“Yet again one rise has had to last several years.

“At least 10 per cent is required on the first mile and subsequent 1/5 mile charges to keep up with all the other constantly rising costs, including your licensing. Ten per cent is less than the rise in inflation since the last increase.

“I don’t consider it an unreasonable request.”

Fellow driver Gerard Glaister suggested increasing the rate to £3.20 “as we have not had an increase for four years.”

The licensing committee’s recommendation will be considered by the council on May 14 and that decision will be final.

http://www.in-cumbria.com/taxi-fares-in ... -1.1130060

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

The traffic commissioners view on fare rises, they must be put out to consultation, and if agreed, be implemented every 12 months.
That's what the commissioner told out council

Correct, but for the f***ing millionth time Scots fare review procedure is different from the English way of doing it.

_________________
IDFIMH

pmsl

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

At least we do it the modern way, and dont rely on out of date prehistoric rules

If he's so concerned he could buck the trend and charge less, then he'd benefit from the extra work and then be disadvantaged by the amount of extra work needed just to make the same amount of profit as those taking advantage of the fare increase

Yup, since we lowered our fares I'm driving an extra 30 miles and working 1.5 hours extra every day just to make the same as before the fare drop. I'd do 70 miles for £100 now its 100 miles

Taxi fares rise in Allerdale set to be ditched



A planned increase in taxi fares in Allerdale looks set to be scrapped after an objection from the trade.

Allerdale council agreed in March to increase the fee for the first mile of a journey from £2.90 to £3.

After the decision, Davies Taxis of Keswick contacted the council to say that the minimal financial gain from the change was not enough to justify the cost of having taxi meters recalibrated.

The council’s licensing committee has now recommended that the tariff should be kept at the original price.

http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/taxi- ... -1.1131626

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

Idiots.