Cardiff Council propose 6.25% taxi fare increase

Dec 8 2008 by James McCarthy, South Wales Echo

THE cost of getting into a cab is set to rise.

Cardiff Council has put plans out to consultation that will see fares rise from £2 for the first 319 yards of a trip to £2 for the first 146 yards.

The same will be charged for the second 146 yards.

After that it will change from 20p per 226 yards to 20p per 215 yards.

The authority said passengers will be paying a 6.25% increase overall.

Licensing committee chairman Ed Bridges said: “The council has previously refused a number of applications for fare increases.

“However, in view of rising prices, and the fact that the fare has not been increased since September 2006, the Public Protection Committee determined that it was reasonable to increase fares at this time.

“Although the original application by the trade was for an increase of over 12%, the committee was pleased that drivers agreed a compromise increase of 6.25%.”

Cardiff Hackney Association secretary, Shiva Kumar, who works at Cardiff Cabs, said: “At this moment we think it’s enough. In the last two years we have not been treated fairly.

“Last year fuel costs for drivers were going up every day. Drivers wanted a 20% increase.”

In August, 71 drivers demanded that hike because a planned 6% rise did not meet rising petrol costs.

Mr Kumar added: “I’m happy about getting something at last. It’s better than nothing.”

Gareth Owen, a director at Dragon Taxis claimed the fare change would mean the cost of a passenger’s average 2.6 mile journey would rise from £5.80 to £6.20.

He said: “I’m not an advocate of putting up fares for the sake of it.

“I understand the pressure drivers have been under with fuel but we are on the tail end of it as it is coming down now.

“Most people want yearly [pay] increases to keep up with inflation.”

He added: “This is all we asked for and I hope this goes through without objection.”