Wealden Taxi Fares Set To Rise By 10 Per Cent From September

Taxi fares in Wealden are set to increase for the first time in four years after councillors backed proposals for a 10 per cent rise.

Members of Wealden District Council’s General Purposes and Licensing Committee approved the recommendation at a meeting on Monday (27 July).

If the plans are approved by the council’s lead member for licensing, the new maximum Hackney Carriage fares are expected to come into effect from 7 September.

Councillors heard the increase was considered a "reasonable" adjustment, reflecting rising costs faced by taxi drivers since fares were last increased in October 2022.

The review process began earlier this year, with council officers highlighting that inflation since the last increase had contributed to an overall rise in prices of around 14.6 per cent.

However, the report also noted that diesel prices had initially fallen compared with 2022, dropping from an average of 188p per litre in October 2022 to around 141p per litre earlier this year.

Since then, fuel costs have risen again, with average diesel prices reported at around 173p per litre at the time of the latest figures.

The council previously agreed to consult on the proposed fare increase in March, with four objections submitted during the process.

Three came from individual taxi drivers, while one was submitted on behalf of the Wealden Drivers Association.

Two objections opposed the increase, with one suggesting alternative changes should be considered, including extra charges for passengers travelling with dogs and bringing forward the start time for higher night-time fares.

Another raised concerns about the length of time it would take for any increase to come into effect.

The Wealden Drivers Association supported reviewing and increasing the maximum fares but raised concerns about the specific structure of the proposed charges.

The final decision on the increase will now be considered by the council’s lead member for licensing.