Taxi fares set to rise SECOND TIME IN A YEAR due to fuel prices and cost of living crisis

Taxi fares in one authority are set to rise for a SECOND TIME in a year as a result of the rapid escalation of rising fuel costs and the cost of living crisis engulfing the UK.

Councillors on East Lindsey General Licensing Committee voted in favour of allowing taxi companies to charge £4 for the first 1,000 yards (up an extra 60p), an extra 25p on call-out fees for a total of 75p per mile and for taxis to charge 50p per passenger above two.

The second rise comes after a request from the Skegness Taxi Association was put forward. According to the Lincolnite, a letter to East Lindsey District Council (ELDC), chairman Darrell Blackburn said: “Due to the ongoing situation in Ukraine everything has gone up in price for everybody so therefore we feel that it’s only fair for us to increase our fees, so we can simply try to keep up with current prices.

“Our service costs are constantly going up, along with gas and electricity prices and we must therefore increase our charges to allow for these increases.

“We understand any increase in tariff is not welcomed by the public, neither is the cost of gas and electricity, but we still have to accept them.”

Taxi fares in the region rose in September 2021 when inflation was a lot lower. However, the cost of living and fuel prices have pushed the council to act fast to support drivers still struggling to meet the costs.