Taxi Driver Online

One for Sussex - no rise since 2010


Price of taxis could be on the rise as consultation to launch

https://www.expressandstar.com/news/loc ... to-launch/

The price of a taxi could soon be on the rise in South Staffordshire as the authority prepares to launch a consultation to match prices with the Wolverhampton Council’s fares.

This means fares could increase would mean a typical journey instead of costing £5.10 would now cost £6.80.

The consultation has been launched following a request from the taxi trade.

They argue that with the current cost of living crisis fare should increase.

Taxi fares in South Staffordshire have not increased since 2010 and currently sits near the bottom of the league table at 336 out of 344 on local authority fares, according to Private Hire and Taxi Monthly.

In 2022 several neighbouring areas increased their taxi fares, a similar journey in Tamworth would cost £7.14 whereas in Stafford and Cannock Chase it would only cost £6.50.

This increase would only apply to hackney carriages as the authority does not have the power to control the fares set by private hire vehicles.

A report submitted to South Staffordshire District Council states: “This is an increase of 33 per cent.

"However, Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation over the same period is 57.7 per cent, meaning that if the fare was to increase at that rate it would be £8.04.

“Engagement and consultation with the trade has been ongoing, with consideration given to inflation, labour shortages in the taxi industry, future anticipated costs, fares set by other authorities”

In April 2022, South Staffordshire District Council delegated its tax licensing function to the Wolverhampton Council this means that they will be leading on the consultation.

Fares are enforced using a taximeter which will need to be recalibrated to the new fares at the proprietors’ expense.

Residents have just 14 days once the consultation period has opened to if they wish to object, if no objections are raised then the new fares will take effect.

However if residents do object then a further meeting of the licensing committee will decide on the future of fares.

According to the PHTM tables, S Staffs is the only one from 2010, and only Pendle lags behind, without an increase since 2008

But presumably the first link at least won't be working pretty soon:

https://www.phtm.co.uk/taxi-fares-leagu ... &rise=2010

https://www.phtm.co.uk/taxi-fares-leagu ... &rise=2008

No comments from LOs or councillors as to why they haven't increased for 12 years.

Or maybe they are too embarrassed to comment on their absolute dereliction of duty.

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IDFIMH

We are always told that any review of the tariffs has to come from the trade and not officers.

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Grandad,

Councils in Scotland are duty bound to review fares within 18 months of the previous update.

(I thought it had been reduced to 12 months, but think that's maybe what Fife Council does unilaterally - the words 'within' presumably mean that the 18 months is a maximum, not a prescribed fixed period.)


Of course, the review could result in no change, or even, presumably, a reduction in tariffs. We've had a couple of no change reviews in the past decade or so.

More detail of the procedure in the full section 17 below, plus the appeals and publication procedures in sections 18 and 18A. In some ways it's good that the detail is prescribed in some detail, but in other ways it's hugely over-prescriptive. And don't get me started on some of the procedural inadequacies, nor the lack of economic rigour

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1982/45/section/17

Nothing stopping councillors or LOs from initiating the process with a trade meeting.

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IDFIMH