Taxi fares in Worthing could soon rise after a formal request from 37 local taxi drivers. The drivers have asked Worthing Borough Council to approve a £1 increase in the starting fare for journeys with up to four passengers. If approved, the increase would apply to both daytime and night-time fares, as well as certain holiday periods.
Proposed Fare Changes
Currently, daytime fares for up to four passengers begin at £3, with an additional 10p charged for every 88 yards or 18 seconds. The proposed changes would see the starting fare increase to £4, with 10p now covering 70.1 yards or 16 seconds. Night-time fares, which currently start at £4 plus 20p for every 120 yards or 30 seconds, would rise to £5, with 20p covering 97.2 yards or 30 seconds. This higher night-time rate would also apply to daytime journeys on bank holidays and for taxis carrying five or more passengers.
Additionally, fares for bank holiday nights and the Christmas/New Year period, which already have a higher premium, would see an increase of £1. The drivers have stated that the fare increase is necessary to help them cope with rising operating costs.
Council Review and Background
The Worthing Borough Council’s licensing committee will review the fare increase request on Monday, February 10. A report prepared for the committee highlights that the last fare adjustment took place in July 2022. Worthing currently ranks 58th out of 341 local authorities across the UK in terms of taxi fare levels, with areas like Arun, Brighton and Hove, and Mid Sussex ranking higher.
The report also emphasizes that most local taxi drivers operate as small businesses, whose income is indirectly regulated by the council. The council’s licensing committee has two options: approve the fare increase, which would then be advertised for 14 days for public objections, or reject the proposal.
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