Issue - meetings

A request has been received by Mr David Lane on behalf of BCP Taxi and Private Hire Association for a 6% increase on the current Hackney Carriage Tariff.

The Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 allows the Council to fix the rates or fares within the district for time as well as distance.

Any change in the tariff will be reflected across all three current Hackney Carriage zones within BCP Council conurbation.

The Licensing Manager presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'A' to these Minutes in the minute Book. The Licensing Manager advised that a request has been received by Mr David Lane on behalf of BCP Taxi and Private Hire Association for a 6% increase on the current Hackney Carriage Tariff.  It was noted that any change in the tariff would be reflected across all three current Hackney Carriage zones within BCP Council conurbation. The Committee were asked to consider the request and consider whether it should be approved, approved with amendments or refused.

The Committee invited Mr Lane to address the Committee on behalf of the association and give the reasons for the requested increase originally submitted on. A number of issues were outlined to the Committee which included:

·     The exponential rise in the cost of fuel for drivers, which reflected a 12.5 percent increase in drivers expenses. The cost of fuel was 35 pence a litre more than at the beginning of the year.

·     Drivers needed to return to ranks, increasing the number of miles travelled

·     General cost of living increases facing both the general public and drivers

·     The 6 percent increase being requested would only be covering the increase in costs occurred by drivers

A number of issues were raised by members in discussing the request, including:

Whether it would be possible to revert to lower charges should the current high prices reduce in future. It was explained that there was a cost to drivers in changing the meter and therefore the most likely scenario would be that a further increase would not be requested until the effects had been worked through.

That the previous request was only for a 6 percent increase and whether the current request would actually be enough. In the present climate the Committee was advised that it was difficult to know but it was also important not to increase fares by too much as taxis would need to remain a viable transport option.

Whether the increase could be weighted towards night-time usage to lesson the effect towards those who used taxis for essential purposes. In relation to this a committee member asked whether a lot of shift workers or those supporting the night-time economy would be impacted by a weighted increase. It was explained that it would be difficult to regulate prices dependent upon the time of day. The Chairman commented that many different groups used the service, and it was important that it was fiscally able to continue. However, it was not felt to be appropriate to ask the trade to come back with new submissions.

The number of vehicles which were electric or hybrid and therefore less effected by fuel price increases. It was confirmed that the Licensing Service were not aware of any fully electric vehicles but there were a number of hybrid vehicles. However, it was not just the impact of fuel costs which  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36