Taxi Driver Online

NIGHT time fares for black cabs in Manchester are to rise by more than 10 per cent - to help taxi firms pay for marshals at city centre ranks.

The marshals have been used since Christmas to ensure orderly queuing at busy night-time sites including Deansgate Locks, Piccadilly, Albert Square and the Printworks.

Now Manchester City Council, which has funded the trial scheme, wants to make it permanent - but is asking cab firms to help foot the bill.

Taxi companies are being asked to pay £158 each per cab through a surcharge on their annual licences - and the cost is being passed on to passengers through dearer fares.

The hike, more than three times the rate of inflation, follows massive increases on tram tickets and bus fares for the very young and very old last month.

The proposed increases, which are yet to be accepted by Manchester City Council, would see day-time fares raised by an average of 4.12 per cent. Journeys of three or four miles would cost an extra 20p, rising to 80p for a 10-mile trip.

Night-time fares, by comparison, would rocket by an average of 11.73 per cent. A one-mile trip would go up from £3.40 to £3.80, while a 10-mile journey would cost £20.40 compared to £18.20 at the moment. Waiting time would increase by 11.1 per cent, from 20p per 43 seconds to 20p per 39 seconds.

The increase would complete a triple-whammy for public transport users in Greater Manchester. Concessionary bus fares soared from 40p to 50p and at the end of last month, tram fares on Metrolink rose 33 per cent for pensioners and children, from 45p to 60p for a single. Most adult single and off-peak returns also rose by 10p, although the majority of peak returns and all season tickets remain unchanged.

George Simms, secretary of Manchester's Taxi Owners' and Drivers' Association, said: "It is not wonderful but at least this way we will have marshals round the year. Surveys show that drivers and the public all want marshals and someone has to pay."

Graeme Sherriff, from Manchester Friends of the Earth, said asking passengers to pay for security was "unjust".

"We oppose this move," he said. "Raising the cost of taxi travel discriminates against those who cannot afford cars and those who are trying to use their car less, especially given the recent bus fare rises."

The fare increase would end Manchester's reputation as one of the cheapest major cities to hail a black cab. Under the new scheme only London and Bristol would cost more.

The Transport and General Workers Union, which represents cabbies, said its members "strongly" believed the council should pay for the marshals.

Neil Swannick, the council's executive member for planning and the environment, said the marshals would become a permanent fixture as soon as the financial package was agreed.

"At the moment there is some reluctance among drivers in the early morning because they are worried fights will break out," he said. "The marshals have been welcomed by the trade and by passengers."

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IDFIMH

Ahh so the trade, via the passenger pays for a problem created by someone selling alcohol.

sounds fair!

Personally I think Mr Simms is correct.

Mr Sherrif should look for a deputy, who does he think kicks off on a night? And when will the marshalls operate? numbty!!!!!



Captain cab

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

He does indeed speak sense, but who many cabs have Manchester?

I can't believe that all that money is going to be spent on marshalls.

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IDFIMH

I understand the bill is around about £130k, which is cheaper than the £9k a local firm charged last year for 2 weekends and 4 stewards.

Captain cab

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

BLACK cab drivers have split over plans to increase night fares by more than 10 per cent to pay for taxi marshals in Manchester.

Angry cabbies clashed at a licensing meeting in the town hall, where councillors backed the rise. Members of the Transport and General Workers Union - who believe the council should foot the bill for marshals - shouted "disgrace" as the decision was announced. The plan would add £158 to the cost of a black cab licence.

Drivers would be able to recoup the money from customers by charging an extra four per cent during the day and an average of 11.7 per cent more at night, when the marshals are working. The rises mean that a one-mile night trip would go up from £3.40 to £3.80, while a 10-mile journey would cost £20.40, compared to £18.20 at the moment.

Dave Evans, of the TGWU, told the meeting: "I am extremely disappointed at the level of consultation. "I don't believe fare increases should be increased to pay the full running costs of the marshal scheme. Some drivers will not work at night, no matter how much you put up the fares, because of the fear of violence."

But George Simms, chairman of the Taxi Owners and Drivers' Association, said that his organisation backed the fare increase. "We like the marshals, the public likes the marshals, everybody likes the marshals," he said.

"We never expected to pay for them, but since you have given us the means of recovering the cost, we are happy to go along with the plan. "We would expect to take in more than we pay out. "There are not enough drivers out at night and one way to get more is to offer them more money. "Our organisation fully supports this proposal - and thinks that it's the best thing since sliced bread."

The wardens, previously funded by the government under a short-term agreement, patrol taxi queues at troublespots where fights have been known to break out.

The approval of the rises by the licensing committee means they will come into effect in summer - provided the full council gives its backing next month.

Neil Swannick, the council's executive member for planning and the environment, said: "We are very pleased the licensing committee has approved the increases.

"They know the people of Manchester are keen for the marshals to be made permanent and this provides a way of doing that."

The proposal to increase fares comes after a number of rises in the cost of public transport. Concessionary bus fares went up from 40p to 50p and at the end of last month; and fares on Metrolink rose 33 per cent for pensioners and children, from 45p to 60p for a single.

Most adult single and off-peak returns also rose by 10p, although most peak returns and all season tickets remain unchanged.

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IDFIMH

I would advise people to take special note of what is happening in Manchester in respect of Marshals because your Council could very well be the next Manchester.

Regards

JD

will you be paying the increase JD?

YOU SHOULD BE LOADED NEVER HAVING TO TAKE mANCHESTER TO COURT?

Its a 72% increase. I suppose it boils down to the fact are we going to benefit from whats on offer. I'm inclined to think in the long term we probably won't.

JD

Perhaps when the pub and clubs come under the remit of licensing, the bill will be paid for by those that sell the alcohol that usually creates the problem.

regards

Captain cab

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I would have thought it would have made you quite nervous Mr Yorkie.

There would be more chance of you getting caught doing your naughties.

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IDFIMH

not into doing naughties at all, wish I HAD NEVER CONFIDED IN YOU LOT,

however what has that to do with Marshalls?

never mind lets move on and up, I now have taxis that can ply for hire over district boundaries, but I dont, and are licensed to do so

I was hoping that the trade would have said an outright no to this nonsense. The apathy in accepting it was abysmal, apparently the carrot was a fare increase if the surcharge was agreed.
I think it is time to trawl the 1982 Misc Provs Local Government Act to see if policing comes under licensing, somehow I think not. If memory serves the street traders used it to fight huge licence increases, but perhaps that is wishful thinking.
Ged

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taxi driver @manchester airport

Night-time fares, by comparison, would rocket by an average of 11.73 per cent. A one-mile trip would go up from £3.40 to £3.80, while a 10-mile journey would cost £20.40 compared to £18.20 at the moment. Waiting time would increase by 11.1 per cent, from 20p per 43 seconds to 20p per 39 seconds.

The fare increase would end Manchester's reputation as one of the cheapest major cities to hail a black cab. Under the new scheme only London and Bristol would cost more.


What a load of bollocks.
Manchester is no comparison to London.

check this out :

www.tfl.gov.uk/pco

The London tariff is split in three.

Every weekend day is tariff 2.
Their 10 mile journey is approximately 50% more than manchesters in the day time.
So much for a de-limited area eh Suspect ?






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Just goes to show you don't own a cab you fackin idiot. Who the fack do u think is going to pay for this increase you moron? You think we will pay. We'll pass the increase on to you trackers. The rent your paying now will increase by at least 25 pounds a week, contemplate that, idiot.

Every post you have ever made on this forun has been one of stupidity, what a fool you are? From the first time you posted the chit about Liverpool license holders to this fackin nonsence. Get a life you dopey [edited by admin]. Most day and night drivers couldn't give a chit about marshals. Where have u been for the last 30 years?

JD