Taxi driver fees in an area of Derbyshire set to be increased by a council for the first time in 9 years

Erewash Borough Council is looking to hike a wide range of fees applying to taxi and private hire drivers for the first time since 2019.

This plan has been met with three objection letters from Erewash cabbies claiming the increases are unfair in the face of inflation and fuel price hikes.

However, council officers write in a report that inflation has dropped and so have fuel prices, while fees for drivers have not been increased in some time but fees they can charge to customers have been hiked.

A report to be discussed next week details that the fee for a five-year private hire operator licence is due to be increased from £416 to £441; a three-year driver’s licence would increase from £203 to £245; a one-year driver’s licence would increase from £80 to £85; and the Knowledge drivers’ test would increase from £25 to £38 – along with many other fees.

Objectors wrote: “I am objecting to an increase in licensing fees as proposed by the council. My reasons are because of inflation. Interest rates have increased, as well as fuel prices too have increased.”

“Taxi drivers are still sat here waiting to hear on the newer rules on vehicles, tinted windows, age of vehicles etc. I just think it’s a bit of an insult that you’re putting the fees up but we don’t know what we’re going to get back in return.”

“I’m objecting to an increase in taxi fees. My reason is because of the increase in fuel and inflation. The increase would have an impact on our livelihood.”

Council officers write in a report to be discussed next week that the planned increases are based on the authority’s “reasonable administration costs”, along with inflation.

They write that “it is acknowledged that operating costs for taxi drivers and operators will have increased” and that taxi fares were hiked in 2022 to “recognise the impact of inflationary pressures on the taxi trade”.

Officers say that inflation has since peaked at 11.1 per cent in October 2022 and currently stands at 3.2 per cent.

They write that “fuel prices (pump price per litre) have also reduced over the last three years or, in the case of petrol, shown only recent marginal increases”.

A table showing fuel prices per litre shows petrol standing at 161.91 pence per litre in 2022 and 146.91 in 2024, while diesel stood at 176 pence per litre in 2022 and 156 pence in 2024.