Rotherham taxi fares to go up after councillors agree price rise

Taxi fares in Rotherham are set to rise after councillors agreed a price hike.

Charges are set to rise from £4.50 to £4.80 for the first mile and from £1.50 to £1.70 for every additional mile.

Waiting charges are also earmarked to go up from 20p to 30p per minute, pending the outcome of a 14-day consultation.

Council leader Chris Read said: "Taxi drivers are facing the same kind of pressures we've talked about. Everybody needs to be able to make ends meet."

The proposed charges were approved by the council's cabinet on Monday, subject to a consultation.

The fare increase will apply to Hackney Carriages registered with the council, not private hire taxis.

Rotherham's Hackney Carriage Association had requested the changes as the cost of running a vehicle has increased since the current rate was set in 2022, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The charge for evening, Sunday and bank holidays journeys will also increase from £4.70 to £5.10 for the first mile, with each additional mile going from £1.70 to £1.90.

Drivers have also proposed that the time this tariff can be charged is brought forwards from 21:00 to 20:00.

During the meeting, councillor Denise Lelliott, cabinet member for jobs and the local economy, said: "The local Hackney Carriage Association has asked the council to increase the fares that they charge, to take into account of their increased operating costs, which is fuel, insurance, and the general increase in cost of living expenses."

She said the increase would enable drivers to stay local, and may help tackle out-of-town drivers.