THE WAR in Ukraine is set to hit people in Tameside in the pocket in the form of higher taxi fares.
And the people behind cabs and cabbies – the Tameside Owners and Drivers Associaition – believes it simply had to happen.
The borough council’s licensing committee has given its approval to the hike of 10 per cent in all tariffs, plus the first waiting time price rise in 10 years and the first in the flag fall price since 2008.
That sees the starting fee go up from £2 to £2.50 during the day, plus a price per mile rise from £2.30 to £2.53.
Waiting time would go up from £16 per hour to £18, with night rates going up to £3, £3.26 and £22.50 per hour respectively.
On public holidays and from 2pm on Christmas Eve to 6am on December 27, it will be £3, £3.87 and £27.
The Tameside Owners and Drivers Association told Tameside Council the war in Ukraine, plus the rise in fuel bills, makes the rise unavoidable.
They said: “Unfortunately, between October 2021 and March 2022, the UK experienced an fuel/energy “crisis”, further exasperated by the war in Ukraine, resulting in average diesel cost rising by 28.3 per cent, with UK inflation accelerating to, at the time, a 30-year high of 6.2 per cent.
“Since then, the unprecedented rises in the cost of living have seen prices soar and production costs sky rocket, thus having a huge knock-on effect on the costs associated with running and purchasing a compliant hackney carriage vehicle.
“With the UK’s average diesel price alone reaching a record high of 199.05p in July 2022 and EV charging prices rising by an average of 29 per cent since the beginning of the year.
“TaxiPoint – UKTaxi News found that diesel black cab drivers are on average spending £2,500 a year on fuel based on prices just 12 months ago.
“The price of a new Cab Direct Mercedes-Benz Vito Taxi, currently the most popular vehicle in the Tameside hackney carriage fleet, increased from £34,995 in August 2021 to a list price of £46,995 for new models from September 2022.
“The hackney carriage trade provides public transport to all sectors of the community including vulnerable persons. They are on occasions the only accessible form of transport available.
“T.O.D.A. believes in regular reviews of fares to consider the constantly shifting costs and passenger trends associated with the taxi trade, in providing a quality taxi service through better job security and higher vehicle standards.
“Regular fare reviews should maintain the income of taxi drivers and owners.
“In turn, maintaining a professional aspect to taxi driving and seeking to encourage taxi drivers to commit to further education such as NVQs and other safeguarding/customers service courses.
“It would also encourage owners to invest in newer and more advanced vehicles, which will encourage members of the public to use taxis when shopping or socialising in Tameside; adding further to the local economy.”
Tameside Council’s Licensing committee’s decision must be rubber-stamped by its executive before any change can come into effect.
Usually, the journey from Manchester Piccadilly station will not get charged more than £9 , tonight I was charged £21 , I was shocked but had to pay , the driver’s reason was it’s new year period. I regretted I did not get Uber,!