Taxi Driver Online

(The thread title should really say 'may' as opposed to 'to'. But I ran out of characters, and 'to' fits, but 'may' was one character too much )


Not much to see here, and pretty modest proposed increase if it's only 10% over four years

But, of course, it also depends where they started from...

Also interesting and apposite comments about fuel prices. Certainly up a few pence here in Fife, but still nothing like peak prices a few years ago, as outlined here

But who knows how all that will pan out


Wealden councillors to consider potential taxi fare increase

https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/2591309 ... -increase/

Wealden residents could soon be asked to have their say on increasing taxi fares for the first time in four years.

On Thursday (March 12), Wealden District Council’s general purposes and licensing committee is set to take a view on if the authority should consult on increasing its maximum Hackney Carriage fares.

In a report to the committee, licensing officers set out how the council is considering increasing fares by ten per cent from November 2026. The report says the council last increased maximum fares in October 2022.

Since this last increase, the report says, inflation has seen prices rise by around 14.6 per cent. But officers said average diesel prices had decreased by around 25 per cent over the same period — falling from 188 pence per litre in October 2022 and 141 pence per litre in February 2026.

As a result, officers say a ten per cent increase in maximum fares is considered to be a “reasonable” change.

Diesel prices have increased in the past few days as a result of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

According to the RAC Foundation, the same source referenced in the council report, the average price of the diesel in the UK came to 144.5 pence per litre as of March 4.

If it receives the committee’s backing, a public consultation is due to take place later this year. Its results would then be expected to be discussed by the committee again in September, when councillors would make the final decision on the proposals.

But therein lies the nonsese of it all. They're discussing day-to-day fuel price increases in relation to taxi fares which have been frozen for nearly four years now, and won't in any case go up until eight months from now at the earliest

So contrast the fuel pricing mechanism and the likes of Uber's dynamic pricing on the one hand, with council fare-setting processes which can't even be described as pedestrian...

I love it when licensing officers suddenly become economists.

And basing trade costs solely on fuel is utter madness.

We also have to buy vehicles, insure them, license them, maintain them, and keep them clean. Where are the stats on that?

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IDFIMH

More on cost variations, but this time concentrating on fuel prices, for obvious reasons.

But which just underlines the nonsense on using wildly fluctuating costs like this as a basis for deciding HC fares in five months time, which may be set in stone for a couple of years thereafter.

But, to that extent, I could barely be bothered looking at the numbers here.

More Worried About The All-Capitals Headline Used By This Publication


Wealden Taxi Fares Could Rise By 10% Amid Diesel Price Fluctuations

https://www.moreradio.online/news-post/ ... uctuations

Taxi passengers in Wealden could see fares increase by up to 10% later this year as diesel prices continue to fluctuate, according to a council report.

The rise comes amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East, with the US-Israel conflict with Iran contributing to volatility in fuel costs.

The RAC Foundation reported that the average diesel price in the UK was 144.5p per litre as of 4 March.

Wealden District Council (WDC) will discuss the proposed fare increase at a committee meeting on Thursday.

Maximum taxi fares in the area were last adjusted in October 2022, and since then inflation has driven up costs by around 15%, the report said.

However, diesel prices have fallen by roughly 25% since October 2022—from 188p per litre to 141p per litre in February 2026.

Despite the drop, council officers say a 10% fare rise is still “reasonable” to reflect wider costs.

If the committee approves, a public consultation will take place later this year.

The council could then make a final decision on the fare changes in September.

Passengers and taxi drivers are being urged to follow updates from WDC as the consultation progresses.

Is it really going to take another 6 months?

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IDFIMH

Which reminds me of my wee joke - this kind of licensing stuff is like turning an oil tanker round, or going via the Horn of Africa instead of the Strait of Hormuz...

(All of which is linked to the increase in fuel prices - geddit? )

(And apologies if my geography isn't quite up to the mark, but it's just an attempt at a wee joke )

Wealden councillors to discuss raising taxi fares

https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/busines ... es-8816590

Taxi fares in Wealden could increase for the first time in four years if plans gain the backing of councillors.

On Monday (July 27), Wealden District Council’s General Purposes and Licensing Committee is due to discuss increasing the authority’s maximum Hackney Carriage fares by 10 per cent from September 7.

In a report to the committee, officers say this is considered to be a “reasonable” increase, as it would reflect overall changes to driver costs since the council last raised its maximum fares in October 2022.

Councillors are set to decide whether or not to recommend the increase to the cabinet member responsible for the final decision.

The committee had previously agreed to go out to consultation on the proposed increase in March.

Meeting papers show four objections linked to the consultation — three from individual taxi drivers and one on behalf of the Wealden Drivers Association.

Two argued against the increase. One called on the council to consider introducing other changes instead. These were an additional charge for passengers with dogs and an earlier start to the higher prices charged at night.

Another objection argued the fare increase would take too long to come into effect.

Wealden Drivers Association was supportive of a review and increase in maximum fares, but raised concerns about the specific fare structure.

The council’s plans to increase fares began earlier this year to reflect inflation.

In an initial report written in February, officers noted a general increase in prices of around 14.6 per cent since October 2022.

At the time, average diesel prices had been 141 pence per litre. The report noted how this figure was around 25 per cent less than in October 2022, when the average price at the pump had been 188 pence per litre.

Since then diesel prices have been increasing as a result of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

When the committee last considered the potential increase in March, the RAC Foundation, the same source referenced in the council report, reported an average price for diesel of 155 pence per litre.

At time of publication, the same source reports average diesel prices of around 169.8 pence per litre.

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IDFIMH

Some drivers are really, really thick.

By objecting to that, you are merely ensuring it happens.

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IDFIMH

Can't see much new in here, and looks largely like a rubber-stamping exercise


Wealden councillors back taxi fare increase

https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/busines ... se-8823532

Councillors have backed plans to increase taxi fares for the first time in four years.

On Monday (July 27), Wealden District Council’s General Purposes and Licensing Committee agreed to support proposals to increase the authority’s maximum Hackney Carriage fares by 10 per cent.

If the recommendation is accepted by the council’s lead member for licensing, the increase would be expected to come into force from September 7.

Committee members heard how this was considered to be a “reasonable” increase, as it would reflect overall changes to driver costs since the council last raised its maximum fares in October 2022.

The process of increasing the fares began in February. At the time, officers noted how inflation since 2022 had resulted in a general price increase of around 14.6 per cent.

But average diesel prices had only been 141 pence per litre — around 25 per cent less than in October 2022, when the average price at the pump had been 188 pence per litre.

Since then, diesel prices have been increasing as a result of the conflict in the Middle East.

When the committee last considered the potential increase in March, the RAC Foundation, the same source referenced in the council report, reported an average price for diesel of 155 pence per litre.

At time of publication, it reports average diesel prices of a 173 pence per litre.

The committee had previously agreed to go out to consultation on the proposed increase in March.

Meeting papers show four objections, three from individual taxi drivers and one on behalf of the Wealden Drivers Association.

Only two objections explicitly argued against the increase. One called on the council to consider introducing other changes instead. These were an additional charge for passengers with dogs and an earlier start to the higher prices charged at night.

Another objection only argued the fare increase would take too long to come into effect.

The ‘objection’ submitted by the Wealden Drivers Association was supportive of a review and increase in maximum fares, but raised concerns about the specific fare structure.

The council began the process of increasing the fares earlier this year to reflect inflation.