Taxi fares set to rise by 20% in Milton Keynes to offset cabbies' increased costs

The increase, which would reduce to 10% at night, follows a request to the council from the Milton Keynes Taxi Association.

They say drivers have not put up their fares since 2012 but they are facing an increase in the cost of living and fuel.

The rise would apply only to Hackney carriages, which are the black cabs that can be used without pre-booking. Private hire fares would stay unchanged.

Hackney Carriage proprietors are self-employed business people who are regulated by local authorities and the council is allowed to

fix the rate of fares.

The request from the taxi association first came earlier this year and MK Council put the matter out to public consultation.

It is due to be approved at a delegated decisions council meeting tonight (Tuesday), where the documents state: “A public consultation has been completed and no formal objections were received therefore council officers cannot reject this variation to the Hackney Carriage Table of Fares.”

The new fares will mean a typical six mile long journey – for example, from CMK rail station taxi rank to Newport Pagnell – will increase from £14.40 to £17.40 during the day and from £17.04 to £19.49 at night.

On bank holidays the fare will increase to Tariff 3, which will cost £26.68.

In comparison, fares for a pre-booked private hire cab are £10 for the same journey by day and £11.66 at night.