THE TIMES

Saturday November 17th 2001

LONDON CABBIES' CHARGE HIGHEST FARES IN EUROPE
By Helen Rumbelow
A soaring price rise in fares charged by London's black cabs means people stranded in the capital at night are forced to pay the highest prices in Europe to get home. The hackney carriages, saviour to lone women and lost revellers, have recently had prices increased by more than a third at night, making an already expensive service double, often triple, the cost of other British and European cities.
   The relief on seeing their orange light on a deserted street has now turned to outrage when the meter starts clicking at an accelerated rate, with many arguing that the current uproar will have long-term consequences for London life.
   Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, who introduced the increase two weeks ago, says that there are already signs of more black cabs on the streets at night. Protecting people against dangerous rogue mini-cabs has been one of his main objectives.
   But a chorus of others, including many cab drivers who declare themselves so embarrassed at the high charges that they knock money off the fare, say that the prices put the taxis out of reach of the masses. This defeats the object of the exercise by forcing them back to the mercy of the unlicensed cabs.
Luke Johnson, chairman of the Belgo Group of restaurants and campaigner on behalf of the taxi customer, said that the prices "...were expensive, now they're farcical".
   "It is a lack of intelligence and balls from the mayor, who has allowed himself to be swayed by a powerful lobby of taxi organisations," he said. "Politicians don't like to get on the wrong side of taxi drivers as it spoils their own ride home at night."
   Mr Johnson believes that because the rates are now higher after 8pm, taxi drivers will work shorter hours to earn the same money. Instead, he said there should be a new level of licensed taxi drivers who can work only in the unpopular night hours. "The customers at my restaurants can afford it, but it is my staff I'm worried about - it's just another nail in the coffin for the life of Central London and its workers."
   Taxi drivers like Nick Line agree. He has worked as a cab driver for 27 years but said he knew something was wrong when his friend got him out of bed to pay the new higher fare on a taxi ride home. "I said to him, I wouldn't pay that fare, you must be joking," said Mr Line, 49.
   Bob Oddy, secretary of the London Taxi Drivers' Association, which represents 7,000 of the
25,000 black cab drivers in London, said that the furore had got out of hand. "There is so much hype and rumour that is all nonsense. We have to look at the problem rationally," said Mr Oddy, who was one of the leading campaigners for the increase.
   In the past the only incentive for taxi drivers to work at night was a 60p supplement after 8pm and a 90p supplement after midnight. That has now been replaced with an average 35 per cent increase for the first six miles of any journey from 8pm to 6am. It means that a five-mile journey after 8pm has increased from £10.20 to £14.80. But because the higher rates cut out after six miles, the maximum increase is £5.40.
   Peter Hendy, managing director of road transport at the Greater London Authority, said that when they increased prices they had the welfare of the late-night customer trying to find a cab in mind.
Many critics of black cabs complain that drivers often refuse to leave the centre of London. One traveller who tried to get a taxi from Finsbury Square to Blackheath early one morning was refused by 21 before dialling a minicab company - whose driver was abused when he arrived. Under the new rules, black cab drivers are obliged to accept any customer travelling up to 12
miles...