Bolton taxi fares will rocket, warns cabbie

By Jane Lavender


A CAB driver in Bolton is warning taxi fares will rocket if the council puts up the cost of their operating licence by almost 50 per cent.

The rise, which would apply to a six-month Hackney carriage licence, would see the price go from £63 to £91.

A decision on whether to approve the increase has been deferred by councillors, who have asked for more information.

The council's licensing committee also sets the maximum rate cab drivers can charge for journeys.

But angry Nigel Ogden says drivers will have no choice but to lobby for an increase in that rate to help cover costs if the licence fee increase is approved.

Mr Ogden, who drives a black cab in Bolton, said: "If this goes through I will have no choice but to put my fares up. Trade is bad enough as it is and we can't afford to take an increase like this on board without it affecting our customers and that will all be down to the council.
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"The idea is for people to use public transport, not push them away, but that's what will happen if the council imposes this increase.

"We will have no option but to lobby them for an increase in the fares we can charge."

Chairman of the Bolton, Bury and Preston Hackney Association, Charles Oakes, is already lobbying the council for a five per cent rise in fares to help drivers pay for soaring fuel costs and other expenses.

But he said he would not be asking for more to cover any rise in the cost of the licence.

He said the charge was excessive but he realised that they had to meet the costs of a £10,000 "demand survey", carried out by the council. It would have been better, however, if the payment could have been spread over a longer period of time.

An increase in the cost of a licence for private-hire cars - from £63 to £71-- from April 21 has already been approved But licensing bosses say a bigger rise for Hackney cabs is necessary to pay for the survey.

The number of black cabs on Bolton's streets is restricted following an agreement between Hackney carriage drivers and the council.

But it means a survey must be carried out every few years to make sure demand is being met. Cllr Cliff Morris, leader of Bolton Council, said: "No decisions have been made on charges to taxi drivers. I'm fully aware of the concerns of taxi drivers, that is why I've deferred the decision on the charges and requested officers look at it again.

"Taxi drivers have a tough time making a living and any increase would inevitably be passed on to you and me, the customer. We need to ensure we find the right balance to ensure we are fair and equitable to taxi drivers and also secure value for money for the council tax payer."