13
Jun
Fears taxi fare rise could see Harrogate 'swamped' by Uber
A proposal to increase taxi fares in North Yorkshire could see more cabbies lose out to Uber, passengers and drivers have warned.
North Yorkshire Council's ruling executive is expected to ratify new fares when it meets on Tuesday (June 18) next week.
The council is expected to set and regularly review the maximum fares to be charged by hackney carriage drivers.
If its latest proposals are adopted, it would mean:
- A 5% increase on the running mile and waiting times in tariff 1 (daytime rates)
- Applying tariff 2 rates from 10pm to 7am (currently 11pm to 6am)
- An increase from £1 per mile to £1.50 per mile on the maximum call-out charge
- An increase from £1.50 per head to £2 per head for the carriage of 5 or more passengers subject to an additional requirement that the surcharge may only be applied where it has been agreed with passengers at the time of hiring.
- The introduction of a new maximum surcharge of £50 (plus £50 per passenger assistant) to be applied to any hiring under the terms of a contract with North Yorkshire Council.
A report prepared for councillors on the Conservative-run executive includes details of responses to a consultation on the proposals, which ran last month.
The report describes the responses as "mixed", with some in favour of the increase and some opposed.
Several flag up concerns about the impact of increased fares on cheaper alternatives such as Uber.
One Harrogate driver said:
I urge you to withdraw these new increases and not put up or alter any fares. My town of Harrogate is swamped with Ubers from out of North Yorkshire.
They undercut our fares and are taking over. I take regularly disabled customers and have to cut my rates as they cannot afford the fares now. Putting up daytime rates is pricing the more needy and vunerable out of getting a taxi.
A Hackney carriage driver in Skipton said drivers there had already lost 90% of their work because of high fares and competition from private hire taxis and Uber.
One person, who said they were on disability benefits, described the increase as "disgusting", adding:
I fear that this will put an end to me using taxis. I can't be the only one either. The council has priced them out of the market so I think I will start using the Ubers that I see around.
Another cabbie said the last fare increase had a detrimental effect. They added:
Work has taken a nosedive. With the cost of living the customers cannot afford to pay more. Customers are using app-based taxis which are cheaper.
A driver in Selby reported a 70 per cent loss in trade, again citing Uber as the cause while another person who responded to the consultation said nighttime tariffs were "already far too high and has resulted in people either walking home or using out-of-town companies such as Uber".
Another objector added the proposed increase:
Makes taxi drivers seem like greedy and money grabbing, as the majority of the public do not realise the costs involved in maintaining a hackney vehicle.
Tory Councillor Greg White previously said some people had called for the maximum charges to be lowered to make North Yorkshire more competitive with nearby areas.
He said a three-mile trip in Barnsley would cost £8.90, but in North Yorkshire it would be £14.98.
The council is expected to approve the changes at next week's meeting.
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