BOOKING charges and taxi fares will rise in Bournemouth this year.

From April the daytime booking fee – known in the industry as the running fee – will rise by 20p so customers will have 80p on their bill at the start of journeys where taxis have been called out.

And fares for all taxis will go up by 3.2 per cent, meaning that, for example, the price for the average trip, estimated to be 2.5 miles, will go up by 20p to £7.40.

Though fares go up every year this is the first time in more than 10 years that drivers have applied to the council to raise the booking charge.

It last went up in September 2002. Both rises were unanimously approved by the licensing committee.

John Tye, chairman of the Bournemouth Taxi Trade Association, told the committee taxi drivers are spending more on fuel as they are travelling further to pick up customers.

He said: “In the last two or three years the mileage is increasing repeatedly as people are staying with a known provider.

“Where they used to go somewhere and then phone the local taxi they are now phoning their own provider.”

Mr Tye said this often results in drivers travelling the “devil’s triangle”, where they have to travel further to pick someone up and take them to a location where they are unlikely to get another fare from.

This results in extra petrol costs.

Mr Tye said the 3.2 per cent rise was calculated by a nationwide formula.

Councillor Susan Phillips asked if there was any way they could limit the increase by making savings within the industry.

 

ut Mr Tye said the increase was needed to service and maintain vehicles.

Increase charge

FROM April the 20p booking charge or “running fee” increase will mean that when customers call out a taxi in Bournemouth the bill will have 80p on it at the start of their journey.

This is the price for tariff one, valid between 6.30am and midnight. Outside those times, under tariff two, the fee will be £1.

On top of that fee the metre starting price will remain at £2.80 for tariff 1 and £3.75 for tariff two.

Outside of the booking fee, the 3.2 fare increase will mean a 10 mile fair goes up, for example, from £22.80 to £23.60.