Taxi fares are set to increase in Ceredigion as drivers battle against rising fuel costs.
Ceredigion County Council’s cabinet this morning approved a proposal to increase taxi fares at a rate set by the taxi trade – a slightly lower rate increase was suggested by licensing officers – bringing the cost of a two mile journey to £6.80 from £5.46.
Similar journeys in Carmarthenshire cost £6.80, in Pembrokeshire £6.30 and in Powys £6, after its council cabinet approved the increase last week.
The taxi fares in Ceredigion have not increased since 2018 when the average cost of unleaded petrol in the UK was £1.20 a litre and diesel £1.23, a report to cabinet states. It adds that the cost is now around £1.82 a litre of unleaded and diesel costs around £1.88.
Proposals to increase taxi fares were made in February following a Taxi Trade Meeting with increases to fares, tariffs and charges outlined and then consulted on within the trade.
“It is evident that several factors have affected the taxi trade in recent years, which has resulted in the request to vary the current fares including the Coronavirus pandemic, increases in the prices of secondhand cars, increases in the cost of living, an increase in the minimum wage, increases in insurance costs but the increase in fuel prices is the largest reason for a request to vary the fares,” adds the cabinet report.
An extra 5p per 1/10th of a mile on all tariffs will be imposed, and cabinet heard that the officer proposals had a lightly lower increase and lower associated charges for things such as waiting time, carrying cases, trunks and fouling “not linked to fuel increases.”
Cabinet approved the increases, subject to a statutory 14 day publication and consultation period where any objections can be raised.
Speaking to the Cambrian News earlier this year, Daniel Page, owner of Cymru Cabs and Ciaran Neil, driver for the company said: “We and other taxi providers are seriously struggling at the moment due to extreme rises to the costs of fuel, servicing & maintenance.
“Providing a service is forever costing more and more. It is beginning to look unfeasible to keep providing these services if prices continue to rise.”