Cabbieswarn of fares increase

The changes were proposed in September and, following the publication of the detailed increases, Darlington Borough Council received a number of objections.

The council wants to increase the fees because there has been a drop in the number of taxis operating in the town, leading to a fall in income for the authority.

But taxi drivers say that if the council cannot afford to run the taxi licensing office in the town it should put the job out to tender rather than increasing their costs.

The council wants to increase the application fee for a licence from £26 to £30.

The cost of a hackney drivers' licences from £49 to £55 and vehicle licence from £260 to £290.

The private driver's licence would increase from £49 to £55 and the vehicle licence from £230 to £275.

More than 50 taxi drivers have signed a letter of objection written by taxi driver Nigel Nevison.

The letter complains that the proposed increases are above the rate of inflation and drivers have already been forced to pay a 12.5 per cent increase in insurance since last year.

The drivers have warned that the service they provide will be compromised by the increases unless they put their prices up.

Mr Nevison said: "There is no comparison to the fees charged by the Darlington office to the fees paid elsewhere for the same, if not less, of a service to the taxi trade.

"We in the taxi trade feel that the passengers that we convey are yet again being set up to pay more for a journey than is necessary.

"We also feel that the passengers that we carry are not a bottomless money bank for the council office to dip into as they see fit."

Despite the objections, the council cabinet is due to agree the increases when it meets tomorrow.

John Buxton, director of development and environment at the council, said: "This is to enable the council to recover more of the costs associated with the administration and enforcement of the hackney carriage and private hire licensing."