Taxi Driver Online

Taxi fare increase put on hold because of coronavirus

AN increase in taxi fares and penalties for customers who vomit in cabs has been put on hold because of coronavirus.

The average fare in Warrington for a two-mile journey between 7am and 11pm totalled £5.20, as of February 2020.

A price comparison chart compiled by Private Hire and Taxi Monthly ranked the borough number 325 out of 361 authorities in the UK.

The council’s licensing committee voted to increase the fares and fouling charge at its Town Hall meeting last month following requests from cabbies.

It is expected to result in an average percentage increase in fares of around seven per cent, with the fouling charge rising from £30 to £50.

The changes were set to come into force as long as no objections were submitted.

If objections are lodged, the committee is required to consider them and decide whether to bring the changes into force, with or without modifications.

But the council has confirmed the increase in fares and fouling charge has been put on hold.

A spokesman said: “A report on taxi fares was taken to the licensing committee in March.

“However, currently, the taxi trade are looking to play their part in supporting critical workers – and as members of the community in their own right.

“The priority at this time must be the national and local response to the health pandemic and our officers are working hard as part of this response.

“We will work with the trade, look at any technical changes required and consult the travelling public at an appropriate stage.”

Taxi driver Sagheer Zaman has responded to the decision.

He said: “We believe it is the right decision to put the increase of fares on hold until further notice, which may no longer happen this year due to the current situation.

“We are fully supportive of this move until things pick up again.

“I am not working at the moment along with many others, who are losing their usual income.

“For those who are still working, they are only getting about one job every two hours, so it is not worth doing.

“Many drivers are really concerned and are struggling financially at the moment.

“As the majority of them are self-employed, with the Government scheme to help self-employed people they will have to wait until June for financial support.”

The fare increase would only apply to the town’s hackney carriages and not private hire vehicles.

Private hire vehicles cannot charge more than the current tariff but they can choose to charge less.

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IDFIMH

Depends what you get at the end of it - two hours is probably about the norm out at our station at the best of times. Which is bearable if you get a £15 run into town at the end of it, not so much if it's a £4 local or you wait four hours for the last train and get nothing


Shurely some mistake

Shurely some mistake

AH the scottish pronunciation in type

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

It's an old Private Eye joke apparently - the full quote is "Shurely shome mishtake", which is supposed to be something to do with a drunken newspaper editor.

To be honest I always thought it was something to do with Sean Connery and the way he would say it, so you're maybe on to something about the Scotsman thing