York's private hire companies are to charge double time during the Millennium celebrations following a specially convened meeting.

And the operators have condemned City of York Council's decision to allow Hackney Carriage drivers to charge a rate of only time-and-a-half as "disgusting", and said their rate was fair to both drivers and passengers.

Barry Hamer, a shareholder of private hire company Ebor Cars, organised the meeting in order to create a universal policy which cab operators and passengers could rely on.

He said: "The general feeling at the meeting was that we thought the rate for Hackney Carriage drivers was an appalling offer compared with what other people are getting paid to work the Millennium.

"We think double time would have been quite reasonable."

The rate charged by Hackney Carriage drivers is set by the city council, while private hire operators can set their own.

Mr Hamer said the double-time rate settled on by private hire vehicles was considered to be fair to both customers and drivers.

He said: "We've all been talking to our customers and the general consensus of opinion is that what we are doing is fair play."

The companies decided cabs would charge double the meter rate during the period from 6am on December 31 to 6am on January 4.

The meeting, held at The Bay Horse, in Fulford, was attended by two members of each of nine main private hire companies based in York, Ebor Cars, Streamline, Ace Taxis, Blue Circle, Bee Line, Local Taxis, A Team, Country Cabs and Yorcabs.

A tenth company, Castle Cabs, sent its apologies but subsequently agreed to the measures discussed and only one, Fleetways, declined to take part. But a spokesman for Fleetways has confirmed that it too would be charging double time.

Mr Hamer said: "There were a lot of rumours flying around about people planning to charge treble time and £10 minimum fares but these have all been squashed now because we agreed the double- figure."

They are now discussing taking out an advertisement to publicise the decision and identifying the companies taking part.

It is still not clear how individual companies will take bookings around the Millennium period.

Mr Hamer said: "Although we want to be in one voice on fares, we want to keep our own autonomy on how to take bookings."

Mr Hamer said those who attended the meeting also discussed setting up a private hire association to make communication between the companies easier in the future.

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