Taxi drivers left 'worse off' despite fare rises

Taxi drivers on the Isle of Man have been left "worse off" due to rising fuel prices despite new increases to fares, the secretary of the Manx Taxi Federation has said.

Changes to fares brought in by the Road Transport Licensing Committee, the regulatory body which oversees taxi fares, came into force earlier this week.

Revisions included a 5% rise to £4 when passengers flag down taxis and a 30% hike for those with large items, such as luggage, wheelchairs or prams - up to 80p.

However, Mike Birchall said: "We realise we have to take some of the extra costs and it can't all be passed on to the customers. But by the time we take the extra fuel prices off we are actually going to be worse off."

He said the group did acknowledge that people "have been hit hard by fuel, oil and no doubt food prices".

But he added: "We are probably going to be taking 15 to 20% less than we were before the fuel prices went up, and that is with this fare increase."

The revisions also mean chargeable waiting times will drop by five seconds, meaning drivers will now get 20 pence for every 40 seconds they wait - equating to £18 if they wait an hour.

The changes were made following consultation with Isle of Man Unite Taxi Branch and the Manx Taxi Federation.

The federation had called for a temporary fuel surcharge to be introduced, proposals which were not progressed.

Birchall said the fare rises would affect the public "minimally" as no changes had been made to the costs of actual mileage.

He conceded those with large items would be "hit a bit harder".

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