Taxi fees in Cambridgeshire area set to rise - and dog owners face extra payment

Taxi fares look set to climb in a Cambridgeshire owner - and people taking dogs with them face an extra hit in the pocket. Fenland District Council has not increased its tariffs since 2022.

However, the council is now considering an increase across the board. At present people whose journeys are under one mile or one mile and 1609 metres (the best part of a mile) between 7am and 11pm from Monday until Saturday (known as Tariff 1) pay a fare of £4.00 - with an extra 20p for every 1/11th of a mile - a total of £2.20 a mile.

Under the new proposals, they would pay £4.20 for journeys of under a mile and 33p for each 10th of a mile after that (£3.30 a mile).

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Tariff 2, which covers the time between 11pm and 7am as well as Sundays, currently stands at £6.00 for journeys of under a mile or between a mile and the next 1,609 metres (about a mile). They also pay 30p for 'each subsequent '146.2m (1/11mile) or part thereof' (£3.30 a mile).

Under the proposed new tariffs, they would pay £6.20. And 44p for a 10th of every extra mile (£4.40 per mile).

The final of the three tariffs, Tariff Three, applies from 6pm for public holidays including Christmas Day and the New Year Period. The tariff for the first mile is set to rise from £8 for the first mile and subsequent 1609 metres to £8.20.

People travelling further afield during those holidays would see the cost of a journey rise from 40p for every 1/11th of a mile to 55p for every 10th of a mile. This represents a rise from £4.40 to £5.50 per mile.

Those travelling with non-assistance dogs also face being hit in the pocket. At present there is no additional fee for a dog - but this will rise to £2 per dog under the scheme.

Fenland District Council will discuss the potential increases at its cabinet meeting on Monday, September 30. The council said it had 133 licensed vehicles - including 57 private hire vehicles and 76 Hackney carriages.

A report to the council said: "Any decision to increase taxi fares would have a positive impact on the taxi trade, primarily economically."

It added: "In addition, the report has identified the balance that is required to be struck by supporting our taxi trade and not exposing users of taxis to such an increase in fares, that would lead to journeys becoming too expensive, thus having social implications linked to a lack of social mobility, and economic implications by additional money having to be spent on transport.

"Members should note that the tariff is the maximum permitted fare that can be charged, and that vehicle proprietors can choose to charge less should they wish. The tariff is only applicable to Hackney Carriages, and not Private Hire Vehicles."

Cabbies and other members of the public were invited to have their say on the issue. One person said: "I think that it's too much of an increase , I don't agree with charging extra for a dog, we don't charge extra for a cat or a child! (they both equally can make a mess!). I think the change of time for tariff two will completely kill the night time trade.

"I used to work nights before Covid and recently covered two weeks of nights for a driver that's off the road after an accident and the trade has become appalling it is nothing like it was before Covid."

Another added: "l believe the proposals by the Licensing committee, although not intended, could seriously damage the trade. Given that I effectively am now only part time and predominately a subcontractor providing home to school transport any future rise is unlikely to affect me. However I still feel I have a duty to try and protect the livelihoods of those still very actively engaged in general taxi work. I believe it would be appropriate at this time to halt the consultation to give the matter further consideration to seeking a more moderate tariff increase."

However, another said: "I think the charges are fine. Driver's don't work in the evening's because they are simply not earning enough money. Hopefully this might help."