Year's second rise could up day-cab fares by 8.4%

TAXI drivers want to increase fares, some by more than 8%. The rise would be the second this year: fares went up 6p a mile on 1 January to offset the extra cost imposed on cabbies by the switch of road tax onto fuel.

The Guernsey Taxi Owners' Federation has applied to Environment to raise 'normal hours' tariffs by an average 8.4% and night calls or public holiday charges by an average 1.64%.

This adds up to an overall average rise of 4.84% and passengers could also see the baggage charge doubled from 10 to 20p per item. The calls replace an earlier attempt in March to raise all fares by an average 3.6%.

Federation secretary Mike Mauger said the application took into account the local RPI figure from 1 April last year to 31 March, which was 4.85%. The price of diesel had risen by 36% over this period and the fuel currently represented 20% of costs.