Taxi drivers keep fares down

10:26am Thursday 10th July 2008

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TAXI drivers in Winchester have snubbed an offer from the city council to put up their fares - to help save their jobs.

Hackney Carriage drivers were offered the chance to charge more for rides, but said they would forgoe the opportunity because of the current credit crunch.

Currently Hackney Carriage drivers in Winchester charge an initial pull-off' rate of £2.40, then no more than £3.80 for the first mile.

It is then £2 for every subsequent mile.

The city council offered the cabbies varies options to increase their fares, including adding 20p to the pulloff' rate, and charging £2.10 per mile.

But drivers said they were worried that an increase would see fewer people using their services, which have already seen a fall.

Winchester City Council's licensing committee, which sets taxi fares, met last week to decide on new rates in the light of rising petrol prices and other motoring costs.

But the drivers voted to scrap the increase and bear the brunt of soaring petrol costs themselves.

Steve Eckton, chairman of the Taxi and Private Hire Association, said members could not afford to lose any more customers, as the fear of recession loomed.

He said: "We're losing money every day and customers aren't using taxis because they're in exactly the same position.

"The first thing people cut out in times like this is luxuries like taxis. It's very hard for people to make a living, as it is with taxis, and we're always the first to be hit with recession.

"You've only got to walk around town and see the taxis just queuing up for an hour, or hour-and-a-half."

Mr Eckton, who has been a taxi driver for 15 years, added: "We need the increase, but we know if we took it we'll damage our trade even further.

"Hopefully people will try and use us and support taxi drivers."

Fellow driver, Phil Oram, from South Wonston, said: "There's been a downturn in the economy and trade, and an increase in fuel costs, but we didn't want to shoot the golden goose. Why lose the trade we've got by increasing fares?"

He added: "The wise decision was to hold fire and hopefully wait for an upturn.

We're always hopeful, whether or not it'll happen, I don't know."

Barry Hussey, who has been a taxi driver in Winchester for 11 years, said: "It is very much a case of anybody with any sense knowing that everybody's struggling - but it would've been folly for us to take a rise."

He said last Christmas he spent 15 per cent of his wages on fuel, but that figure has since risen to 23 per cent.

Winchester taxi drivers, who were divided over the issue at first, will meet with the council again in January to assess the situation.

A spokesman for Winchester City Council said: "The city council is conscious of the fact that the rising cost of fuel is putting extra pressure on taxi drivers.

"As such, we gave taxi drivers in our district the opportunity to vote for an increase to the current fare tariff.

"The drivers voted not to implement a price increase at this particular time, but the situation will be reviewed again at the end of the year."

There are around 130 Hackney Carriage taxis in Winchester and around a further 260 private hire vehicles.

Hackney Carriages are different from private hire taxis because they are licensed by local authorities, which set rates and fares They are allowed to stand on taxi ranks waiting for customers and pick up in the street after being waved down. Private hire taxis are not allowed to do either.

It costs around £100 on average to fill the tank of a taxi at the current diesel price of 132.3p a litre in Winchester.

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