Victory for Portsmouth Taxi Drivers As Proposal for Higher Fees is Axed

An air of victory now fills the taxi ranks of Portsmouth with the decision not to increase the rate of hackney carriage licenses is welcomed. There were plans for hackney carriage vehicle licences to go from £196 to £303 next year, causing a huge backlash from local drivers. With pressure from taxi officials the council agrees on a compromise, putting gradual increases in place over the period of five years. The private hire trade will therefor only see an increase of £150 to £164 next year. What the Cabbies had to say Hackney carriage driver Chris Dixon, who has been in the industry for over 40 years, said: ‘It’s a victory for common sense. ‘Without the representation we had against these plans they would have gone through on the nod. I thank everybody who turned up to show their support.’ Hackney driver Sokaoth Ali, 44, said: ‘It’s a small victory – so long as the council doesn’t change anything next year. The taxi trade is very tough.’ Speaking against the initial fee increases, hackney carriage trade official Viv Young said: ‘The taxi industry has never been so quiet. ‘Yet the city is saturated with private and hackney driver vehicles. Most of the ranks are rammed.’ This story shows a conflict between industry and council, a feud that we hear of only too often. Let us know what you think of this story, were the council right to back down?