TUNBRIDGE Wells taxi drivers have criticised a hike in fees voted through by council bosses this week.
At the Tunbridge Wells Borough Council licensing committee meeting on Wednesday, members unanimously approved increasing the fees and costs for licences for hackney carriage drivers and private hire vehicles.
A report put before councillors emphasised the service needed to become self-financing as the authority is facing severe budget cuts from the Government.
Committee chairman Bob Backhouse said: “I do not think these fees are exorbitant or awful by any stretch of the imagination.
“I think we are talking about a 40p-a-week increase for the drivers.”
Tom Dawlings stressed the authority was “not trying to make a profit” from drivers as the council sought to minimise costs.
But many taxi firms across the borough are nonplussed by the new charges, which they say increase on a yearly basis, even after significant efficiency costs have been made.
Michelle Blyth, owner of Walkers Cars, based in Tunbridge Wells, said: “They do seem to put up the prices every year and we would really like them to justify it.
“They have combined three departments together at Sevenoaks so there is less staff, and I do not understand why they keep putting up prices.”
Mrs Blyth said it cost a lot of money to be a taxi driver now, particularly with insurance premiums also increasing.
Consultation responses from drivers and operators expressed anger at the continued increases. Anita Meekins, of Anita Meekins Private Hire based in Iden Green, near Benenden, slammed the hike as “quite outrageous”.
“I believe you take advantage of those people who are honest with you and think it’s time the council started helping licensed drivers and operators,” she added. Not all companies were as upset by the increase, however.
Ron Parker, director at Streamline which operates across west Kent, said the “inevitable increases were expected” but raised concerns over delays currently experienced by people applying for licences.
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