Agenda item

Revision of Hackney Carriage Fares for the Year 2022/23

A report asking for consideration of objections to the proposed Hackney Carriage fare increase.

Minutes:

Further to Minute 5 of the meeting held on 12 July 2022, the Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report asking the Committee to consider whether to reapprove and recommend the proposed increase in hackney carriage fares for the year 2022-23 after objections had been received during the statutory consultation period.

 

The following documents were appended to the report:

 

        Appendix I    Table of fares up to the hearing 12/07/2022 & Table of fares as agreed on 12/07/2022;

        Appendix II   Letter from the chair Reading Taxi Association;

        Appendix III  Objections to the fare increase;

        Appendix IV  Objectors further reasoning and proposal;

        Appendix V   Chart Showing cost of journeys over two miles;

        Appendix VI  September issue of the Private Hire Taxi Monthly (PHTM);

        Appendix VII Equality Impact Assessment.

 

The report explained that, following representations made by the RTA, Licensing Applications Committee, on 12 July 2022, had resolved to grant  a £1 increase in the flag drop on both tariffs 1 (daytime) and 2 (night-time) from £2.60 to £3.60 and £3.60 to £4.60 respectively and to raise the cleaning charges after soiling to £70 inside the taxi and £25 outside.

 

The report went on to explain that, as required under Section 65 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, a statutory consultation had taken place between 20 July 2022 and 3 August 2022 with an advert being placed in a local paper and the details also published on the RBC website detailing the proposed fare rises. During the consultation period four written objections and a petition against the fare rise from 97(92) Hackney Carriage drivers had been received by the Council.

 

The report explained that a number of Hackney Carriage drivers had stated that they had not been consulted fully by the RTA, and that the RTA had not been transparent with its members about the issue. The objectors did not agree to the fare increase in the form that was presented to the Licensing Applications Committee on 12 July 2022. The objectors provided further reasoning for their objections along with an alternative proposal for fare rises which was attached to the report at Appendix IV. The report also noted that no objections had been received concerning the proposed increase to the soiling charge.

 

Mr Asif Rashid, Chairman of the Reading Taxi Association, and Mr Imran Ali, a local hackney carriage driver, both attended the meeting with colleagues and addressed the Committee. The RTA spoke in favour of the original fare rise proposal, whilst Mr Ali opposed the original proposal and spoke in favour the alternative proposal.

 

The Committee indicated that, if the Trade wished to propose future fare rises, it would be sympathetic to reviewing fares on a sixth-monthly basis rather than on the current yearly basis.

 

Resolved –

 

(1)      That the decision to recommend that the Assistant Director of Planning, Transport and Public Protection implement an increase of £1 in the flag-drop for both daytime and night-time tariffs be upheld.

 

(2)      That the decision to recommend that the Assistant Director of Planning, Transport and Public Protection implement an increase in the soiling charge for cleaning taxis to £70 for inside the taxi and £25 for the outside of the taxi be upheld.

Supporting documents: