TAXI drivers want to increase fares, some by more than 8%. The rise would be the second this year: fares went up 6p a mile on 1 January to offset the extra cost imposed on cabbies by the switch of road tax onto fuel.
The Guernsey Taxi Owners’ Federation has applied to Environment to raise ‘normal hours’ tariffs by an average 8.4% and night calls or public holiday charges by an average 1.64%.
This adds up to an overall average rise of 4.84% and passengers could also see the baggage charge doubled from 10 to 20p per item. The calls replace an earlier attempt in March to raise all fares by an average 3.6%.
Federation secretary Mike Mauger said the application took into account the local RPI figure from 1 April last year to 31 March, which was 4.85%. The price of diesel had risen by 36% over this period and the fuel currently represented 20% of costs.
‘The federation has agreed on this occasion to apply only a nominal increase on night and holiday tariffs as we believe they are presently at about the correct level,’ he said.
Night tariffs, he said, would go up by only 20p for the first two miles, after which there would be no increase at all.
‘As already stated, our fuel costs have reached a level where we regrettably need to apply an increase in tariffs to be able to sustain a reasonable service,’ he said.
‘Albeit, we are applying for a larger increase on the day tariffs, a three-mile journey will cost only an extra 40p.’
He said the federation was mindful the effects increases in tariffs had on business and had tried to minimise the effect on this occasion, particularly at night.
Proposed rises apply to all six tariffs.
* Islanders are being asked to send their comments to the Environment Department by Friday 30 May. ÿ
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