Taxi fares in York are to soar by eight per cent.

The big increase is being blamed on rises in the cost of fuel, oil and insurance over the past year.

A report to City of York Council's planning and transport committee revealed that, while general inflation was running at less than two per cent, petrol and oil have gone up by more than 17 per cent.

Vehicle tax and insurance rose by another 13 per cent, and vehicle maintenance costs rose by more than four per cent.

The increases - 8.3 per cent for adults and 7.5 per cent for children - will come into effect from May 1.

Council officers said they worked out the fares increases using a formula introduced last year.

Waiting time charges will increase from 45 seconds for 10p to 40 seconds for 10p. Councillors heard that York had the lowest waiting time charge in the region, but had more traffic congestion than other areas with a higher charge.

An application for a 33 per cent increase in the adult fare for York's horse-drawn carriages, from £3 to £4, and an even bigger 50 per cent hike in the child's fare, from £2 to £3, was turned down by the council.

It would have meant a family of four having to pay another £4 to be taken round the city centre on the back of a carriage.

The committee agreed to allow the fares to rise by 8.3 per cent and 7.5 per cent for adults and children respectively, to £3.25 and £2.15.

Taxi fares next Christmas and New Year's Eve will rise by less than they did during last year's Yuletide and Millennium celebrations, when customers were charged the meter fare plus 100 per cent.

Councillors heard that the fare was not successful and the trade did not wish to see a repeat, so a meter rate plus 50 per cent was agreed.

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