Taxi fare increase in Brighton and Hove by 20p a mile

As of yesterday, fares for taxis and private hire vehicles from mainstream local companies licensed by Brighton and Hove City Council have increased by 20p a mile or five per cent.

Since Brighton and Hove Cab Trade Association secured the increase, the first since 2019, petrol prices have increased further since Russia invaded Ukraine in February.

Trade representative Andrew Peters said the increase works out at 1.66 per cent a year since 2019.

He said the five per cent increase does not cover the inflation, which is predicted to reach seven per cent this spring.

Taxi drivers are being hit by an increase in fuel prices amid the war in Ukraine

Mr Peters said: “What this really boils down to is that the mileage rate has changed from £2.40 per mile to £2.60, which we don’t think is unacceptable, and we have actually removed the late-night weekend rate as well.

“When it is considered that the price of fuel has shot up so much unless this comes down, then the new fares do not even cover this increase, let alone matching the national rate of inflation.

“Unlike other businesses, we cannot just simply make adjustments on a day-to-day basis as any change requires a council meeting with months of preparation.

“The local taxi trade is not in a position to use ‘surge pricing’ at ad-hock times like Uber does as all our fares are strictly council controlled by sealed meters.

“We do hope that taxi users will understand the reasons why fares have to go up, and we know that this is now happening in many other areas as well.”

When councillors backed the increase, the rate had Brighton and Hove with the eighth-highest fares out of 325 councils nationally.

Councillors have raised concerns about the price rise

Independent councillor Kate Knight was concerned about how the increase would affect people on the lowest incomes who needed a taxi to get to hospital or the doctor.

Green councillor Marianna Ebel shared similar concerns as only London and areas with airports have higher fares, yet people in Brighton and Hove do not have the capital’s salaries.

Labour and Conservative councillors supported the move to help the trade deal with the sharply increasing costs.

Labour councillor Jackie O’Quinn said the trade was always “playing catch up”, and the increase would not cover inflation.

Conservative councillor Dee Simson said the increases were essential to keep the city’s taxi trade.