The cost of catching a Hackney cab in the Lancaster district will remain the same after Lancaster City Council decided to freeze fares.
Members of the council’s Licensing Regulatory Committee decided to keep daytime fares the same at £2.30 for the first 880 yards and 20p for each subsequent 240 yards, meaning the cost of the first mile will remain at £3.03.
Night time and Christmas tariffs will also remain the same.
The possibility of fare rises was first raised in June, and the proposals were put out to public consultation. There was one objection to the plan, from Mr Dixon, director of 848848 Taxis, who felt that a fare increase in the current economic climate would damage the taxi industry in the district.
Some committee members still favoured a fare rise but the increase was voted down in favour of a freeze.
“Deciding whether to raise fares is always a balancing act between making sure the travelling public get a fair deal and the taxi trade is able to make a fair profit,” notes Morecambe Bay Independent Councillor Tony Wade, chairman of the Committee.
“This year we received representations from the taxi trade asking for a fare freeze due to the current economic climate.
“The committee took these views into account and decided to keep fares at the current level.”