Taxi Driver Online

Taxi fares set to increase by three per cent in Poole

TAXI fares in Poole are set to increase by three per cent this year. If approved by the council’s licensing committee, the rise could potentially come into effect in May and will affect hackney carriages – taxis that are allowed to pick people up from the street.

The request for an increase in maximum fares was made by the Poole taxi trade and, if implemented, will see Poole’s fares match those recently approved in Bournemouth. The current cost of a one-mile journey on the basic day rate is £4.44, however this would increase to £4.58.

It currently costs £2.24 per mile thereafter, but this would increase to £2.31, meaning a two-mile journey would cost £6.89, a three-mile journey £9.20, a four-mile journey £11.51, and a five-mile journey £13.82. The cost of the first mile on the 'unsocial hours' tariff is currently £5.91, but this would increase to £6.10 (£3.08 per mile thereafter).

In a report to committee members, licensing manager Frank Wenzel stressed the economic benefits the taxi trade brings to the town, “enabling visitors to move quickly and safely around local areas”. “To enable this taxis and PHVs have a particularly important role in this day-to-day transport network, especially in the night-time economy, ensuring the public return home safely, and in ensuring that people can disperse quickly and peacefully after events,” he said.

Poole’s taxi trade made the request for a rise in fares in February so that they will be in line with Bournemouth’s. The formula for calculating changes in fares in Bournemouth was adopted by Poole in 2010. This formula uses changes in national wage levels and the cost of motoring to calculate a percentage change in costs, which is applied to taxi fares.

Since the introduction of the formula, taxi fares have increased at the same level across Bournemouth and Poole, and in 2012 the taxi trade in Poole adopted the same fare chart used in Bournemouth. If the new rates are agreed by the licensing committee, they will be advertised in the press and anyone who objects to the increases will have 14 days to make a written objection.

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IDFIMH

Tuesday night tomorrow

to be fair I very much doubt he is still driving for a living but I didn't realise he was Poole I thought he was Eastbourne

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Typical cabby getting the destination wrong.

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IDFIMH

well one south coast town is much like another aren't they a pier, a few blokes walking down the seafront hand in hand and loads of hotels and TRAFFIC

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Christchurch taxi fare increases move closer

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/1 ... ve-closer/

TAXI fare increases in Christchurch have moved a step closer after councillors backed calls from drivers to bring them in to line with Bournemouth and Poole.

A request was made by the Taxi Liaison Group in May for the changes in a bid to raise the area’s hackney carriage rates.

If approved, taxi fares in Christchurch will increase from £4.45 to £4.60 for a one-mile journey with each additional mile rising by 5p to £2.30.

On Monday, Christchurch council’s licensing committee supported the changes, which has been recommended by officers, subject to the findings of a two-week public consultation despite some councillors’ reservations.

Cllr David Jones said: “It seems to me that there’s a small flaw in this.

“Obviously the big companies like the idea of one single rate to cover Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch but it seems to me that the reason is for administrative convenience.

“I know that the public will be consulted and I know that they will have the opportunity to express concern but it seems to me that what we are getting is an increase in fares without necessarily an increase in efficiency or better service.

“It’s not to do with inflation, it’s just for the convenience of the big company.”

Cllr Ray Nottage backed the recommendation but said that he wanted the public to be fully aware of the proposed tariff increases.

The rates only apply to hackney carriages although they are used by many private hire firms as a benchmark for setting fares.

If members of the public object to the decision made by the committee during the consultation period, then the issue will have to be reconsidered by the council.

So Poole follows Bournemouth, then Christchurch follows Poole.




Yes, it does look that way.

So are living costs cheaper in Christchurch than Bournemouth or Poole, or poll tax, or VAT, or income tax, or fuel or anything else for that matter?

I suspect they are all the same or very similar, so even it it does help the operators maybe that's the reason.

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IDFIMH

Taxi fares in Christchurch set to be raised (in line with Bournemouth and Poole)

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/ ... and-poole/

TAXI fares in Christchurch are set to increase after just one resident submitted an objection to a rise in tariffs.

At present fares in the borough are cheaper than neighbouring authorities Bournemouth and Poole.

If the plans are approved by Christchurch Borough Council's licensing committee on Monday (22.10), prices will be level across the three towns ahead of Local Government Reorganisation next year.

The proposed new fare structure is:

- Day rate - £4.60 for the first mile and £2.30 per mile thereafter (currently £4.45 and £2.25)

- Unsociable hours (12am to 6.30pm and varying hours on bank holidays) - £6.10 for the first mile and £3.10 per mile thereafter (currently £5.90 and £3)

- Christmas and New Year - £6.85 for the first mile and £3.45 per mile thereafter (currently £6.65 and £3.35)

It was agreed earlier in the year to put the proposals out for consultation, however only one response was received.

The representation from a Christchurch resident, who is a "frequent" taxi user, said they "strongly object" to the increase.

A letter submitted by the resident says: "Amongst other trips, I use taxi’s to get to and from Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospital.

"At present the cost for trips both to and from Christchurch Hospital and my home are similar, whereas to the cost from my home to both Bournemouth and Poole Hospitals are cheaper than the return journey which attract the higher rates.

"Why should I pay more when my destination is within the same fare zone as my home?

They added: "From my perspective there is as much sense in increasing the Christchurch rates to that of Bournemouth and Poole as it would be to increase them all to London rates.

"If this rise goes ahead, there will be absolutely no reflected increase in what the Christchurch customer gets for their money."

However, a report to the licensing committee recommended approving the new fare structure, which would come into force from December 1.

The council officer report says: "In that only one representation was received and the proposed fares are in line with that already being charged in the conurbation, the recommendation is to approve the proposed increase, which will consolidate all tariff charges and timings in line with the fares charged by Bournemouth and Poole Councils."

Makes sense, but that underlines why so much licensing seems nonsensical, because a common approach to these things would effectively make some people redundant.

So a taxi fare review proposed in February will, if passed, be implemented late October or November.

Shameful.

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IDFIMH

There was a request for a review sent in to our council this week. It was just to late to get on to the agenda for the committee meeting at the end of the month so it is 3 months to the next meeting. if it is agreed for the proposal to be put forward it will be put to the drivers. The drivers views will be before the committee that will sit around March before going out to consultation to the public. There are elections in May so no final approval is likely before June 2019.

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Grandad,

Taxi fares will remain cheaper in Christchurch

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/ ... istchurch/

THE fare structure for taxi services in Christchurch will not be increased to match Poole and Bournemouth.

Members of Christchurch Borough Council's licensing committee went against the recommendation of officers, which put forward raising rates for journeys hailed or taken from a rank to be in line with neighbouring authorities.

Pre-booked journeys are not subjected to the hackney carriage fare structure, an issue councillors thought was not well-known and needed to be publicised more.

The committee was told by the council's public health and protection manager Sean Whitney that they had no obligation to increase the fares to match Bournemouth and Poole ahead of Local Government Reorganisation next year.

A request to increase the fares came from the taxi liaison group.

However, Cllr Lesley Dedman's proposal to refuse the application was supported by the licensing committee.

Cllr David Jones, who backed this decision, said bus services were not as frequent in Christchurch compared with the "urban areas" of Bournemouth and Poole.

He added: "In the urban area the firms can't put the fares up to much because there is competition. Out here there isn't any."

The committee's decision means the fares structure will remain the same, with potential for it to be increased by the new unitary council when it is formed next year.

A technically meaningless statement. But, as regards what they're getting at, have they only just realised?

So if Bournemouth or Christchurch have an increase soon, then the increase required by Poole, when they all join up with this new council, will be all the greater.

Thus wouldn't it have made sense to bring the fares into alignment before?

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IDFIMH

In practical/economic terms, yes, it would make sense to align them beforehand, hence the recommendation of officials.

In political terms, no, because clearly the councillors here don't want to take the flak for hiking fares.