Daytime taxi fares could go up in Reading, with a vote on planned increases taking place this week.

A report has unveiled Reading Taxi Association (RTA) proposals which would see daytime charges increase by an average of around 3.75 per cent.

Reading Borough Council’s (RBC) Licensing committee will vote on the plans tomorrow (Thursday, February 6) at a 6.30pm meeting at the Civic Offices.

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The Reading Cab Drivers Association (RCDA), the other Hackney Carriage trade union in Reading, has backed the plans.

Chairman Mirza Beg said: “The RCDA has no objections to the RTA’s fare increase proposal.”

The licensing committee could either back the plans, reject any increase or call for new proposals.

What is the current situation?

In Reading, fares are set by the Licensing committee and all journeys taking place within Reading are paid in accordance with the fares on the vehicle meter at the end of a journey.

Fares were last reviewed by the committee in August 2017, with councillors granting a 20p rise to the flag-down charge.

There are no plans to increase the flag-down charge this time around, but the RTA instead wants to change how quickly the charge is topped up after that.

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Passengers are currently charged £2.60 in Reading for the first 300 yards.

This increases by 20p for every additional 145 yards for the next two miles.

How much could fares be increased by?

The new plans would mean the yardage – how often the price goes up after the initial flag-down fee – would be reduced from 145yrds (for the first two miles) and 140yrds (after two miles) to 133yrds and 134yrds during the day.

RBC say this would equate to a less than two per cent average increase as there is no rise in night-time fares.

What about taxi trips that go outside the town?

For taxi journeys that end outside the borough a higher fare can be charged, but only if this has been agreed with the passenger in advance of the journey being made.

In the absence of such an agreement the maximum fare that may be charged is that shown on the meter.