Taxi passengers in Castle Point could face a seven per cent hike in fares if drivers get their way, it emerged today.
Drivers across the borough are hoping council members will approve their bid to increase fares after prices have stagnated for two years.
Castle Point Council, which licences hackney carriage drivers and regulates their fares, did not revise the fees last year as drivers were in the middle of a High Court battle with the authority.
Councillors wanted to introduce deregulation, which would allow private hire vehicles as well as hackney carriages to tout for trade, but hackney carriage drivers opposed the move.
However, earlier this year the High Court in London ruled the council had been justified in deregulating the taxi trade.
David Maud, spokesman for the hackney carriage drivers, said: "We did not get a fare increase last year because of the case over deregulation and the council wanted to see what the outcome would be.
"Now we know the outcome we are applying for a fare increase to cover the two-year period when they did not go up."
Members of the council's community services committee will discuss the rise at a meeting on Tuesday, November 19.
Published Thursday November 14, 2002
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