Councillors to debate proposed 7% taxi fare increase across Barrow, South Lakeland and Eden

Councillors are set to discuss proposals to raise taxi fares in the Barrow, South Lakeland, and Eden region next week.

Members of the regulatory committee for Westmorland and Furness Council will decide whether to implement a seven percent increase to taxi fares on Tuesday 7 November.

If the councillors opt to raise the fares, the head of public protection at the council will engage in a direct consultation process with licensed hackney carriage proprietors. They will report any representations made during the consultation back to the committee.

Following a 14-day consultation period, if no representations are made, the proposed changes to taxi fares will be implemented one month later.

Currently, the average cost of a two-mile daytime journey with no waiting time stands at £6.50 in Barrow, £6.60 in Eden, and £6.70 in South Lakeland. These figures remain lower than the national average of £6.97.

However, with the proposed increase, taxi fares would climb to £6.80 in Barrow, £6.80 in Eden, and £7.20 in South Lakeland for the average cost of a two-mile daytime journey with no waiting time.

In light of the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, the committee members voted unanimously in favour of raising taxi fares on 28 September.

The tariffs for South Lakeland were last reviewed in April 2022, while Barrow's taxi fares were last assessed in September 2022. At a future meeting, the committee will examine a unified taxi policy for Westmorland and Furness Council.