Shropshire to consider an increase in taxi fares

Passengers in Shropshire are facing steep rises in taxi fares under plans revealed today.

Revellers will be hit with the biggest increase if the proposals are approved. The standard starting charge for a hackney carriage will rise from £4.95 to £6 for anyone getting in between 11pm and 7am, as well as on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

The charge of 25p for every 176 yards after that, equivalent to £2.50 a mile, will remain unchanged.

It means a 10-mile journey home from a county nightspot will now cost £31.

Charges are also to be increased between 7am and 11pm from Monday to Saturday, if the proposals are rubber-stamped.

Under the plans the standard charge will go up 70p from £3.30 to £4, with the charge of 15p per 176 yards, or £1.50 per mile, remaining unchanged.

The new proposals will be discussed by Shropshire Council’s strategic licensing committee when it meets on Tuesday.

The changes will also see the council spending £200 for ‘fare cards’ to be installed in every cab, stating the maximum fare that can be charged for each of the five zones – Bridgnorth, North Shropshire, Oswestry, Shrewsbury and Atcham and Ludlow.

A report accompanying the agenda for the meeting reads: “The committee must ensure that in setting the new fare cards that the principal purpose of protecting the public is retained.

“The fare cards state the maximum fare that can be charged for each zone. The proprietor may agree a lower fare with the passenger.

“A meter may also be set at a level lower than the council’s agreed fares on condition that the proprietor displays two fare cards, these being the council’s agreed fare card and one to show the lower fare to which the meter has been set.

“There will be a cost to the council. The council must produce the new fare cards for each zone and distribute them for display in all hackney carriage vehicles. The costs associated with producing the new cards and sending them to the trade will be approximately £200.”

If the new proposals are approved, they will be advertised in a local paper with the public then given 14 days to make representations.

If none is received, the new fares will come into being on April 8.

source: http://www.shropshirestar.com/