NO TO PRICE HIKES: Taxi drivers Adam Widcombe (left) and Craig McIntosh
SOME hard-up cabbies say they face being priced off the road if a proposed hike in fees goes ahead.
Taxi and minicab drivers from across Oxted, Warlingham and Caterham have started a petition and plan to hold a protest this month in opposition to Tandridge District Council’s plans to up charges by five per cent.
Craig McIntosh, who owns Aset Cars taxi service in Oxted, started a petition against the increases last week.
By Tuesday, 24 drivers from across the district had already signed.
Mr McIntosh said he intended to organise a peaceful protest outside the council’s offices in Station Road East, Oxted, on February 16 – ahead of the council meeting which is set to rubber-stamp the increases.
He added: “Hopefully, this will make people realise what it’s like to have no taxis in the town for an hour, as the rank will be closed.
“It’s our first chance to speak up and for the council to sit back and listen to our concerns.”
Mr McIntosh, 28, who hopes to plead his case to councillors at the meeting, said he was determined to fight the new fees.
He added: “Five per cent is a sizeable increase in these difficult financial times.”
John Stone, who works from the Caterham station cab rank for Downsview Taxis, warned the higher charges could force some drivers off the road.
He said: “We are already having to pay out much more for things like fuel and insurance. Some drivers for other cab firms may not be able to keep paying out and paying out.
“Residents would notice the difference if they are waiting at a taxi rank at 2am and they have difficulty because fewer cabs are on the road.”
The fees mean a private hire operator’s licence (for 1-5 vehicles) would rise from £116 to £121.80.
A licence (for a larger fleet of 6-15 vehicles) would go up from £189 to £198.45.
Each driver would also have to pay a private hire vehicle charge of £241.05, up from £230. The fees must be paid annually.
Council leader Gordon Keymer said that various council fees and charges were being increased by five per cent.
He added: “This is in line with the retail price index when the fees were reviewed late last year.”
Source: http://www.thisissurreytoday.co.uk/
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