by Sarika Sharma
TAXI fares are set to go up from today, Monday, October 1, but drivers in the Chiltern area say the rise is not nearly enough to cover their rising costs.
The decision to up taxi fares was taken at a licensing committee meeting on September 20 at Children District Council.
The rates were previously raised in 2005 but have now been increased after taking into consideration issues such as the escalating price of fuel, vehicle maintenance and licensing. A cost of a one mile day journey will rise to £2.90 from £2.60.
However taxi drivers feel the new charges do not reflect the increase in their expenses over the years for the service they provide.
Jim Tilbury, secretary of the Chiltern Drivers Association, said: "In the last six years from 2001 to now, the council has increased our licensing for the cars and our drivers by about 78 per cent. During the same time, they have only given us a 23 per cent increase in our fares. And this does not take into account the rise in fuel and the compliance test which we have to take and both of these have gone up significantly."
Mr Tilbury said since 2001 the annual cost for licensing a taxi has gone up by 58 per cent from £189 to £300 and the cost of a driver's badge has risen by 188 percent from £33 to £95, with medical checks rising by 74 per cent from £66 to £115. Based on this, the association originally asked for a 14 per cent increase in fares.
Mr Tilbury said: "Chiltern District is one of the most expensive areas, but our taxi fares are only 280 out of 377 in terms of prices around the country.
"Taxi drivers provide a valuable service, we clear the drunks of the street and we suffer verbal and physical abuse and some have even been killed and yet the council expect us to continue to provide this service for a pittance."
He added that a one mile day trip which will cost £2.90 in future, is still well below what is recommended by the National Private Hire Taxi Association, who recommends £3.08.
Mr Tilbury also explained that many taxi drivers were unable to accept concessionary fare tokens for the disabled and elderly because of the time it takes to cash these in.
He said that at present cab drivers had to collect £100's