There are plans to hike taxi fares in East Hampshire – potentially making the district the 25th dearest place to catch a cab out of 355 local authority areas nationally.

East Hampshire District Council’s full council will meet on July 28 to debate the proposed increase, which local cabbies say is essential to help meet the rising cost of fuel.

Councillors will be asked to increase the ‘flag drop’ from £3 to £4. This is the initial charge at the start of the cab ride, covering the first 528 yards or six minutes of the journey.

East Hampshire’s cabbies, supported by East Hampshire Taxi Association, also requested to increase the charge of each succeeding 176 yards or 40 seconds from 20p to 30p, as well as increasing the cost of additional passengers over two from 30p to 40p each, an increase in the fuel surcharge to £1.50 for journeys over 5km, and to increase the current rates to time and a half all day Christmas Eve, New Years Eve and Easter.

However, while East Hampshire District Council’s licensing committee agreed to recommend the flag drop increase to full council, no other changes to the table of fares were made.

The flag drop rise alone could see the price of a two-mile journey jump from £6.40 to £7.40. The national average is £6.28.

It would also shift the district up the rankings  from the 129th dearest local authority area to the 25th, out of 355.

The last variation to the actual fare tariff in East Hampshire was in 2018.

More than 200 licensed taxi drivers in the district were sent consultation letters, resulting in 46 supporting the  proposed increase, four suggesting a smaller increase, and three objecting.

Comments in support included “it should be increased as it’s been nearly four years since the last increase”, and “it’s about time we had an increase with fuel going up and the cost of living.”

Another wrote the Hackney carriage trade has seen an upturn in demand following the relaxation of Covid restrictions, “but the beneficial effects have been adversely affected by rises in the cost of living, especially in fuel and other essentials to the trade”.

However, other cabbies feared the fare hike would “kill the trade”, adding “that increase is too much as fuel prices should decrease. If we put prices up to £4, people will not use our services so much”.

Another wrote: “It’s tough enough trying to get work at the current prices without you increasing them.”

Figures from the RAC Foundation show total motoring costs – which includes purchase, tax and insurance, maintenance, petrol, and oil – increased 29 per cent in the 12 months to April 2022.

While the cost of fuel has increased from 129.14p per litre for unleaded and 132.06p per litre for diesel in 2018 – the last time taxi fares were increased in East Hampshire – to 185.44p (unleaded) and 191.21p (diesel) in June 2022.

Any proposed tariff changes agreed at full council will go out to public consultation for 14 days.

Emma Grieve, licensing team leader at East Hampshire District Council and Havant Borough Council, said: “Licensing received a request from the Hackney Carriage trade to increase the flag drop from £3 to £4.  A variation to the table of fares was last approved in 2020 when the fares charged on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve were varied.  Prior to that the actual fare tariff was last varied in 2018. 

“As a result of receiving the request, a consultation letter was sent out to all of our 216 dual hackney carriage and private hire drivers.

“Fifty-four responses were received. 46 of these replied yes to an increase in the fare tariff and the proposed increase.

“The request was supported by the East Hampshire Taxi Association, who did not propose any further changes to the table of fares.

“A few comments were included in some of the replies from drivers requesting further variations to the table of fares be considered. These were: an increase for each succeeding 176 yards or 40 seconds for a combination of both from 20p to 30p, an increase in the fuel surcharge to £1.50 for journeys over 5km, an increase in the cost for additional passengers for two or more from 30p per passenger to 40p per passenger, and to increase the current rates to time and a half all day Christmas Eve, New Years Eve and Easter.

“This was all considered by the licensing committee in their public meeting on July 18.  The outcome was that they made a recommendation to council to advertise the variation to the table of fares of increasing the flag rate from £3 to £4.  No other changes to the table of fares were made.

“This recommendation will be submitted to full council on July 28 and if agreed will go out to public consultation for 14 days. If objections are received during the consultation period the licensing committee will consider them before any changes are implemented.

“The flag drop is the initial charge for the first 528 yards or 6 minutes (or parts of) or a combination of both. An increase in the flag drop from £3 to £4 will see an increase in the fare at two miles from £6.40 to £7.40.  It would move the district up the rankings from 129^th place in the national league table to 25^th.”