Taxi rates in the Vale of Glamorgan are set to rise dramatically as operators battle to keep up with the rising cost of fuel.
The new prices are projected to be effective as of April 14 and will differ in proportion to the distance traveled.
Regular tariffs will rise by an average of 16.7%, while nighttime and weekend tariffs will rise by an aggregate of 13.7%.
But, before raising these tariffs, the Vale of Glamorgan Council will have to engage with the public first, and then endorse the modifications.
In a letter to the council, John Lewis, branch secretary of Vale Taxis Unite, stated that the price of fuel and related costs have lately soared, while reminding them that they are also fighting to bring new operators into the industry.
Mr. Lewis feels that a raise will aid in keeping current drivers solvent, and may even inspire new drivers.
He went on to say that the Vale of Glamorgan has witnessed the highest increase in housing prices in south Wales, coming second after Conwy, and that loan rates and power expenses are also rising.
The possible modifications were outlined in a report to the cabinet of the council. In a meeting that will be held on Monday, February 14, the cabinet is expected to authorize public consultation over the increase in fares.
Standard charges will rise to £4.30 from the initial £4 per mile, from £6 to £6.80 for two miles, from £12 to £14.30 for five miles, and from £22 to £26.80 for ten kilometers.
The Vale of Glamorgan presently has the 6th highest fares in Wales, and if the hikes are allowed, it will take the leading position. But it is likely that the other councils will be adopting fare increases soon as well. The last time Vale’s rates were adjusted was in July 2018.
The public consultation process will run for up to two weeks, and if there aren’t any objections heard, the modifications will be effective immediately. If the council receives any complaints, the cabinet will first consider them before determining whether or not to approve the fare increment.
In other news,
The market for ride-hailing services is expected to grow at a 10.6 percent CAGR between 2021 and 2028, from $48,922.78 million to $98,745.11 million.
The introduction of autonomous ride sharing, the increasing drift of on-demand transport services, and the advent of autonomous cars are driving the growth of the global ride-hailing service market. In 2020, the e-hailing field had a value of US $27,566.61 million.