Dudley taxi fares frozen for 13th year running

Shaz Saleem, chairman of Dudley Private Hire and Taxi Association, had warned that cab companies may have to pass on the extra cost to their customers if if a proposed raise in licence fees went ahead.

But this week, Dudley Council's taxis committee rejected the rate rise of between two and five per cent after learning of increases over previous years. However, the freeze in licensing fees will mean the council will be subsidising the taxi service by £3,000 a year.

Following the meeting, Mr Saleem said: "This decision means we won't be increasing the fares for our customers.

"For over 12 years now we have kept our fees the same in Dudley.

"One hundred per cent of the firms have not been charging double over the Christmas period because we acknowledge that our customers have been struggling.

"A lot of our customers have had the same wage for the last couple of years and the fact that Dudley Council has not put its fees up all means we don't have to increase our fees as well to cover our costs."

He added: "I would like to say a big thank you first of all to the members who have supported the association. I would like to thank Dudley Council, in my view, for making history. I can't remember a time when fees have actually been frozen and we welcome the move.

"I think it is important that Dudley Council and Dudley Private Hire and Taxi Association work together and today is a step towards that."

Although he was happy with the fee freeze, he did raise concerns about a lack of consultation over the proposal to put up license fees, as well as the cost to drivers of getting their vehicles retested, adding that taxi drivers in neighbouring boroughs paid less for retests.

He said Dudley drivers were obliged to use the council's garage in Narrowboat Way, Brierley Hill for their retests, while colleagues in Wolverhampton could choose from 19, adding that waiting times for retests were too long, with some drivers waiting three days to get a test slot.

The council currently charges £230.84 for annual licences both Hackney Carriages and Private Hire vehicles.

But if a two per cent increase was levied, this figure would have risen to £235.46, while a five per cent rise would see the fee increase to £242.38.

A report prepared for the committee meeting revealed that based on a zero per cent increase in fees for the financial year 2015-16, the council would be subsidising the taxi service by £3,000 as it receives £546,000, but needs £549,000 to cover its costs.

The council is only permitted to set licensing fees for taxis and hackney carriages up to the amount it would cost to administer the licensing function.

This includes enforcement, administration and ancillary costs relating to licensing applications.