Taxi and private hire drivers fuming at Coventry licence fee hike

Coventry cabbies have slammed a planned increase in licence fee charges calling them a "disgrace”.

The new charges are expected to be approved on Tuesday 20 August. 

However, taxi drivers as well as private hire drivers fear that the new charges could effectively put them out of business.

Driver licence renewals will cost £310, which represents a 39% increase, while vehicle licence renewals go up to £245, a 31% rise. There will also be a driver refresher course introduced, which will cost £50 and have to be renewed every 3 years. There were 93 objections in the consultation, with Uber operating unlicensed in the area being highlighted. Some drivers have threatened to hand back their licences and opt to be licensed in neighbouring areas, and subsequently work in the area by using the cross-border loophole. One driver told Coventry Live that his daily takings were around £30 a day, but costing £25 a day to run the vehicle. He also said that there is no future for the taxi trade in Coventry and that “it is dead”. Coventry Council’s Senior Licensing and Enforcement Officer, Mick Coggins, said: “The city council can only charge a level of fees which is sufficient to cover its reasonable costs." Image Source: Geograph

Image Author: Andy F