Worthing Taxi Fares On The Up After Increase Approved By Borough Council

Thursday, 13 February 2025 10:39

By Thomas Hanway - LDRS

A fare increase requested by taxi drivers has been approved by Worthing Borough Council.

All taxi fare start rates are set to increase by £1 in the borough amongst other increases, according to the new tariffs set out in a petition submitted in January to the council, by 37 members of the Worthing Taxi Trade.

The fares were approved unanimously at an extra meeting of the council’s licensing and control committee on Monday, February 10.

A maximum standard daytime rate, from 6am to 11pm, for one to four people will go from a £3 start rate up to £4, and from £0.10 for every 88 yards or 18 seconds after that, to every 70.1 yards or 16 seconds.

A maximum standard nighttime rate, from 11pm to 6am, for one to four people will go from a £4 start rate and £0.20 for every 120 yards or 30 seconds after that, up to a £5 start rate and £0.20 for every 97.2 yards or 30 seconds.

The maximum passenger soiling charge will also go from £100 up to £150.

In a statement alongside the petition, the Worthing Taxi Trade said the rise was needed due to ‘unprecedented inflation since Covid’, increasing maintenance, insurance and licensing fee costs.

They said there was a ‘troubling trend’ of a loss of some ‘long-serving’ licenced drivers, which could also increase licensing fees on remaining drivers.

They said:

“The Worthing taxi trade has been attuned to these economic challenges and has deliberately refrained from requesting a fare increase following a proposal made last year.

“We greatly value our relationship with the public and recognise their importance to our business; thus, we have chosen to adopt a cautious approach before submitting this proposed tariff update.

“Throughout our interactions with the public over the past few years, we have received feedback indicating that many individuals have experienced incremental wage increases in 2022, 2023, 2024, and are likely to see further increases in 2025.

“Unfortunately, the taxi trade has not kept pace with these wage adjustments. The cumulative impact of these increases is likely to align with the fare adjustments we are proposing.”

They added they hoped to implement annual fare increases, similar to Arun District Council, in line with inflation, in order to avoid ‘significant’ every few years like the current proposal.

A report to the committee outlined that out of 341 authorities responsible for taxi fares in the UK, Worthing was number 58, with three other Sussex licensing authorities ranking higher than Worthing – Arun, Brighton and Hove, and Mid Sussex councils in descending order.

The proposed tariffs will now go out to public consultation for two weeks before potentially coming into effect.