North Yorkshire taxi drivers have urged councillors to allow a higher fare increase amid sharp rises in the cost of fuel caused by the Iran War.
North Yorkshire Council is proposing a five per cent fare increase across all tariff bands following requests from taxi drivers facing big increases in their fuel bills due to the conflict.
The proposed changes would see standard tariff one fares rise from £2.22 to £2.33 per mile, while waiting time charges would increase from £20.23 to £21.24 per hour.
Evening and weekend tariffs would also increase, with tariff three rising from £4.20 to £4.41 per mile.
Members of the council agreed to launch a consultation on the proposed increase at a meeting this week at County Hall in Northallerton, despite requests from drivers to allow bigger increases.
Lisa Ridsdale, general manager for taxi firm Take Me, told councillors a sharp rise in costs meant some drivers were now earning less than the living wage.
Asking for the council to increase the running per mile rate, she added:
“Taxi drivers may earn £20,000 to £40,000 before costs, but after many expenses, they’re left close to or even under the minimum wage despite long hours, late nights, full responsibility for their own vehicles, and the running costs.
“While the council advocates for anti-slavery and living wages to the employed personnel, and indeed insists on compliance contract holders, they seem quite happy to allow us to be below that.”
She added:
“If fares do not reflect reality, drivers will lead the industry.
"And in a rural county like North Yorkshire, this has serious consequences, because taxis aren’t a luxury.
"They’re essential for hospital appointments, work, and daily life, where public transport simply does not exist.”
Ripon-based driver Richard Fieldman, who represents around 100 members of the North Yorkshire Taxi Drivers group, said the recommendation of a five per cent increase in the maximum amount drivers could charge did not go far enough.
He said:
“The Iran war started on February 28 this year.
"We are now on May 12th and have had to endure the significant and almost immediate increase the fuel stations bestowed upon us without any emergency assistance from this council in trying to protect its local taxi trade, whilst fuel prices steadily increased sometimes on a daily basis.”
Mr Fieldman asked that the council add an increase of at least 20p to the flag fall rate for tariff one and a pro-rata increase for tariffs two and three.
Councillor Simon Myers, executive member for culture, arts and housing, said he believed the five per cent increase “struck the right balance” between supporting taxi drivers and ensuring fares were “fair and reasonable” for passengers.
He added:
“The proposal before members is to apply a five per cent increase across the tariff which officers consider represents a proportionate and evidence-based response to the current situation.”
Statutory notices will now be published before the changes could come into force, with members of the public and the taxi trade able to submit objections during the consultation period.
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