Hackney taxi drivers in Crawley have been given the stamp of approval for an increase.
Crawley Borough Council had a long discussion as to whether the rise in fares could be justified and whether or not there was enough evidence to suggest that the cabbies’ cost of living had increased.
The proposal was accepted on the basis that it would be reviewed next year and the Crawley Hackney Carriage Association would seek relevant evidence to back up the changes.
The base rate will rise by 20p to £3.80, and the midnight to 6am rate by 30p to £4.80.
Some councillors resited the move, arguing more evidence was required. However a majority voted for the changes, with nine out 13 councillors in favour of the rise.
Councillor Lamb, who voted in favour of the taxi fare changes, said: “People who use taxis have the option to use a private hire cab or get a bus. I did some research into petrol prices and insurance costs before the meeting so I could make an informed decision.
“We have put a resolution in place that says drivers have to present more evidence next time. The reason we didn’t want to delay the decision is that you can only have one increase per year and we didn’t want to miss the boat.”