South Lakeland taxi drivers are calling for the maximum meter rate to be raised to bring it ‘in line with inflation’.

Windermere driver Sarah Ibbetson said the lack of change in the rate, which has been in place since 2014, was causing ‘considerable hardship’ as costs had increased in the same period.

South Lakeland District Council (SLDC) has said it is ‘committed to reviewing fares later this year’ and ‘will seek to engage with taxi drivers, operators and members of the public’.

Mrs Ibbetson said costs had risen – including the charges SLDC imposes for having a taxi licence.

“Taxi drivers have seen their actual income diminish enormously,” she said.

“Taxis must now be set up to take card payments.

“We cannot factor this into our charges, and we lose about two to three per cent on every transaction.

“Fares are set by SLDC at £3.70 for the first mile, and £2.70 for every mile thereafter.

“To bring those fares – almost – in line with inflation, they need to be raised to £4 for the first mile and £3 for every mile thereafter."

Mrs Ibbetson, whose husband, Mark, is also a taxi driver, said she had written to the council, the licensing office, individual councillors and MP Tim Farron about the issue and was ‘fed up of being so comprehensively ignored’.

In email correspondence with Mrs Ibbetson in September 2020, Cllr Helen Ladhams, chair of the council’s licensing committee, revealed that she had had ‘many people sending me emails regarding a potential fare increase’.

Bob Mullen, a Barrow taxi driver, said drivers in the town had been in talks with Barrow Council for ‘quite a while now’.

“Everything’s been held up with the coronavirus pandemic,” he said.

“There are some sort of increase negotiations in the pipeline.”

He said that some drivers in the town benefitted from increased rates two years ago, when cab companies in Barrow increased their fares in line with the hackney rates set by the borough council.

An SLDC spokesman said: “Fees are set taking into account local factors to support local businesses and economic development, as well as maintaining the health and wellbeing, welfare and safety of our communities.

“In setting fares, criteria taken into account includes being reasonable and fair to all stakeholders and proportionate with the locality, and benchmarking with other local authorities.

“One of the main factors in determining fares is fuel prices, which at the moment are broadly lower than they were in 2014.”