Carlisle council members have endorsed new plans to increase the cost of taxi fares by 8.7%.
Under these new proposals, the minimum taxi fare clients pay will increase by 20 pence from £2.30 to £2.50 – the first rise to be implemented since 2008.
Rising Cab Costs
Taxi operators and cab trade organisations around the UK have expressed mixed views on how best to respond to falling taxi sales, in terms of public use of cabs, in the wake of the economic downturn.
Council officers in Carlisle argued that increasing transport costs have occurred since 2009 when a taxi fare increase was ruled out because of the economic climate.
Local licensing officer Barry Sharrock told the council’s regulatory panel “The taxi association has canvassed their members and they are content with the proposed increase. It helps with shorter journeys but does not hammer long-distance fares to Longtown or Brampton for example”.