Taxi drivers' anger at licence fee proposal

TAXI drivers in Bexhill have accused Rother District Council of '˜milking' their trade amid a row over a proposed rise in their licence fees.

The authority wants to increase the charge to £240 per year from April 1 next year, but the move has prompted strong criticism.

Dave Dickens-Smith, chairman of Rother District Taxi Drivers’ Association, said he was “absolutely disgusted and furious” and feared some taxi drivers could go out of business.

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He said: “Last year we were hit with a 50 per cent increase in the fee and this year it went up by another 45 per cent.

“Some people will say that it is getting too expensive to operate and can no longer afford it.

“The council is milking us of money.”

He said the licence fee was £110 in February and rose to £165 in April.

Michael Mason, the association’s secretary, said: “Our biggest concern is with the lack of consultation as the first we heard about this was from an e-mail from Rother.

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“We do not see why the trade has to pay for the council’s inefficiencies.”

Taxi driver Paul Haswell, of De La Warr Parade, Bexhill, said: “What the general public probably do not realise is that this new increase represents a rise of almost 120 per cent over a period of 12 months.

“This begs the question, are we being targeted to provide the finances to cover the inadequacies within the council? Furthermore, no consultation was considered with those affected.”

He said the rise added to the ‘ever-increasing’ costs or running a taxi service.

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Mr Haswell said: “Bexhill relies on taxis to serve the public.”

Neil McKay, another taxi driver, said: “The licence fee was increased only last year by 50 per cent, from £110 to £165. To have to accept a further 45 per cent increase in the following year is totally unreasonable.

“I think that in this current economic climate, the council should be looking at further ways to save money within its own departments where appropriate, rather than increasing these already inflated costs to us.

“I would like to think that the council will reconsider this decision before it forces ordinary hard-working people out of jobs and onto unemployment benefits.”

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All taxi drivers have to pay for a licence plate to operate.

Hackney carriage taxis, ones which can be hailed on the street, have to display a white plate.

Private hire cabs must display a yellow plate on the back of the car.

A spokesman for Rother District Council said: “A decision has yet to be reached on the matter, which will come before committee early in the new year.

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“Although we understand the feelings of the taxi drivers in this case, we have to be fair to all taxpayers in the district.

“Fees gained through the licensing process are meant to cover issue and administration costs, however the council was running a £44,000 deficit built up over previous years.

“The deficit was reduced to £22,000 with last year’s increase, but it still effectively means council tax payers have been subsidising the taxi and private hire trade, which is unacceptable.

“We would not want the shortfall in this budget to impact on the delivery of other services to residents and businesses.

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“Proposing an increase in fees this year to £240 will mean that by this time next year we will have broken even.

“As with last year we do not propose increasing the drivers and private hire operator licence fee.”

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