TAXI TARIFFS: Knowsley taxi fares could rise by up to 14%

Taxi passengers in Merseyside may soon have to dig deeper into their pockets as fares are set to rise by up to 14% on certain tariffs. This increase will see the average cost of a two-mile journey increase from £5.90 to £6.55.

The agreement for the fare hike was reached between the drivers and the Knowsley Borough Council. Depending on the tariff, fares will increase by between 11% and 14%. These adjustments aim to bring the fares more in line with neighbouring boroughs, as Knowsley currently has some of the lowest taxi fares in the Merseyside region.

This recent decision on fare increases comes after a previous proposal was rejected in August, causing hackney trade representatives to be asked to revise their plans and gain consensus within the trade. The rejected proposal would have raised tariffs by 70p to £1.45 for a mile and introduced an additional night time tariff starting at £6.75 for the first mile.

During the recent meeting of the borough's licensing committee, a new proposal to raise fares by approximately 11% received approval. This increase will apply to most journeys, with a 7% increase for tariff 2 (night) and a 14% increase for tariff 3 (public holidays).

However, there will be no fourth tariff imposed for Christmas and New Year.

While some passengers may be unhappy about the rise in prices, the aim is to bring the fares in line with other local boroughs and ensure sustainability for the taxi trade in Merseyside who have faced mounting costs over the last two years.

The new tariff is likely to arrive later this month.