Two district councils are to increase the costs of running taxis in the area according to information received in recent proposals.
Both South Buck District Council (SBDC) and Chiltern District Council (CDC) have proposed to increase the costs while setting out plans to share services.
In the proposals taxi owners in both districts will have to pay £399 for a Hackney Carriage Vehicle Licence.
Hackney Carriage owners in SBDC are currently paying £275 for a licence and £300 in CDC, an increase of more than £75.
But reaction to the news from taxi drivers is mixed.
Simon Rankin, owner of Camerons Executive Cars in Great Missenden said: “I understand everyone needs to save money and competition is tight but it’s difficult for us a well.
“The taxi association haven’t done anything yet and work’s still really quiet. There’s too many people doing it and it’s really really difficult at the minute.
“I think they should be looking to increase prices elsewhere. Why don’t they lower council tax? South Bucks and Chiltern District are using the same building so the savings are there already.”
But Chiltern District Council spokesman Viv Saunders said in a statement the increase in cost is “in the interests of public safety ”.
She added the increase will reduce “the burden on both Chiltern District Councils and South Bucks District Councils and council tax payers”.
The statement also said the proposed increase is down to the costs of “enforcement and administration”.
According to the statement, the shared services will help to minimise the proposed fee increase.
Anna Brazil, proprietor at Kingshill Cars, said: “At a time when the council is pooling the expertise of the two councils relating to licensing and presumably making savings it is unfair burden drivers and operators with more overheads.
“From the outside in the taxi trade looks as if drivers and operators are making a good living. The truth is quite the reverse. Even if you put in 60 hours a week with a good stream of work coming in your net profit will be very much less than the average wage at the end of a hard years work.”
Responses to previous consultations will be considered at the next Chiltern District Council Licensing and Regulation Committee on 26 March and by South Bucks District Council’s Licensing Committee on 18 March.
source: http://www.getbucks.co.uk/news/
