READING’S taxi fares are to rise by up to 10% today.
The move follows a review of the pricing system by Reading Borough Council. Just one cabbie objected to the plans.
The new structure for hackney carriages – more commonly referred to as black cabs – takes into account inflation, fuel prices and other cost pressures.
In the summer, cab drivers and councillors agreed that there should be an 8% increase for day fares and 10% for night fares.
After journeys begin, a 20p charge would come into effect every 123 yards, rather than the 133 yards at the moment.
Justifying their opposition, the objector said: “I don’t think black cab drivers need a pay rise as they have already had one and most employees only have one once a year.
“You don’t want to put people off getting a black cab especially as money is very tight at the moment for a lot of people and the cost of living is going up all the time.
“I’m a regular user of black cabs and I will have to seek other options to get home.”
However, the objector’s arguments were rebuffed at a council licensing applications committee meeting where the fare increases were agreed.
Taxi driver Imran Ali said: “The email from the objector is subjective, based on personal feeling and opinion. The fare increase we had was for the cost of fuel.”
The last price rise was implemented in October 2022, where the starting charge, called the ‘flag drop’ was increased by £1.
Mr Ali argued that the increase ‘wasn’t enough to cover the shortfall’.
One the issue of pay rises, Mr Ali said taxi drivers are self-employed sole traders and noted that the objector did not attend the meeting to express their feelings in person.
Cllr Tony Page (Labour, Abbey) commented that it was “quintessentially British” that one objection necessitated a discussion to make the price rise official, and he accepted that allowing objections is part of the ‘democratic process’, commenting that the taxi drivers had made their case for the fare increase well.
Councillors unanimously voted for the price increases at the meeting on Thursday, September 28, and they come into effect today, Tuesday, October 3.
