Derbyshire council set to approve taxi fare rise as driver costs bite

The council has the power to review and set fares for hackney carriages – those that can be hailed in the street or hired at a taxi rank – and officers are recommending the licencing committee approves increases when it meets on Thursday, June 30.

Fares in the Dales have remained fixed since 2011, and the original request for an increase came from drivers before the start of the pandemic, but current conditions are said to have made the question more urgent.

A report prepared for the committee notes: “A number of other local authorities across the country have recently reviewed and revised their maximum table of taxi fares, taking account of rising costs of fuel, utilities, insurance, second hand car market, licence fees and other business cost increases that the taxi trade have been experiencing.

At the moment, a two-mile taxi fare in the district is expected to cost £4.80 between 7am and 11pm, Monday to Saturday, believed to be the 13th cheapest fare of 349 local authority areas in Britain with licenced trade.

The changes suggested by council officers would see that fare rise to a maximum of £6.40 – with additional miles rising from approximately £1.80 to £2.40 – for four passengers of fewer.

For those journeys between 11pm and 7am, or on Sundays or Bank Holidays, the basic two-mile rate would rise to £8, up from its present level around £7.20, then £3.05 for additional miles.

The same would apply to daytime journeys carrying five or more passengers, although the fare would stay fixed at £10.75 for two miles, £4 for additional miles, after 11pm and on Sundays and public holidays.

The officers report adds: “There will be some taxi drivers that do not want the fares to be increased as customers are also experiencing rising costs. However, this is a table of maximum fares – drivers can charge less than the meter fare; but they cannot charge more, under any circumstances.”

If councillors approve the changes, the next review would be in three years.