Black cab fares in Brentwood to rise amid increase in fuel costs
Fares will go up by 25% for the first mile, while waiting time charges are going up by 20%
Brentwood black cab fares are set to dramatically increase to offset fuel costs for taxi drivers.
It means there will be around a 25 increase of cost for the first mile and a nine per cent increase per mile after that. Black cab drivers are also asking for a 20 per cent increase in charges for waiting times
Brentwood Council licensing committee has now agreed to go to public consultation for 14 days after which price increases can be implemented.
It means that for example for tariff 1 that covers Monday to Friday between the hours of 6am and 8pm and Saturday between the hours of 6am and 6pm travelling one mile will increase from £4.32 to £5.40.
Travelling four miles during those times will go from £11.18 to £12.91.
Prices for tariff 2 which covers Monday to Friday between the hours of 8pm and 11pm, Saturday between the hours of 6pm and 11pm Sunday between 6am 6pm travelling one mile will increase from £4.86 to £6.08.
Travelling four miles in those times will go from £12.57 to £14.50.
There has been no increase since 2016 when petrol cost £1.10 a litre. It is now around £1.91.
Paul Adams, licensing manager at Brentwood Borough Council said: “The current tariffs have been in place since December 2016 so there hasn’t been a rise in that time.
“We would naturally see a rise in tariffs probably over such a length of time.
“If you can combine that with the significant increase in cost of running a motor vehicle at the moment, hopefully members can see that the increase that the trade are asking for is necessary obviously for them to be able to sustain their business moving forward and to pay what often is just barely the sort of the minimum living wage.”
The request for an increase comes after black cab drivers in Chelmsford say tariffs need to change in the face of increased fuel bills and to ensure a level playing field between different kinds of Hackney carriages.
They want to increase Hackney Carriage tariffs for journeys for up to four people but also include a second tariff for journeys with five or six people.