Gwynedd Council has agreed recommendations to increase the maximum price for hackney cab fares – but costs for shorter journeys could stay the same to protect the elderly and vulnerable.

The council’s general licensing committee proposed that journeys after midnight, mini-bus use, baggage carriage, valeting fees and bank holiday maximum fares should rise, when it met on Monday, but journeys less than a mile, currently costing £3.60, and where the journey was more than a mile for the first mile, costing £3, would not change.

According to the council shorter taxi journeys are usually by people, such as the elderly and vulnerable who can’t travel any other way.

A 14-day public consultation over the changes was also recommended before any fees could be implemented.

The council has a statutory duty to control maximum hackney taxi carriage fares – the changes don’t affect private cabs.

Additional tariffs are mooted for journeys in a mini-bus for between five and eight passengers to rise from £3 to £3.30.

The maximum costs for transporting additional bags in the taxi vehicle’s boot could go up from 30p to 50p and professional valet cleaning – a fee imposed when customer soil vehicles – from £45 to £120.

For hiring the vehicle between midnight and 7am, or any day or at any time on a Bank Holiday, except for Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, would rise 50 per cent in addition to the basic rate of £4.50, and 60 per cent in addition to the basic rate of £4.80.

Any objections raised during the consultation would be referred back to committee before a final decision made.

The last price rise was in 2019, when maximum rate had increased for a two mile journey from £5 to £6 pounds.

Taxi firms had called for further increases following the impact of the pandemic, the effect of lock downs on trade, rising fuel costs and inflation.

Environment department assistant head Gareth Jones told the meeting: “In terms of maximum fares, what many taxi companies now propose is increasing the rate for the first mile from £3.60 – to £4 pound as short journeys cost them the most.

“But what we what have to bear in mind is this type of short journey is usually for people who can’t travel any other way, are reliant on taxis for short day-to-day journeys, often likely to be the elderly and most vulnerable.

“We have to strike a reasonable balance regarding the taxi firms, but not do something that negatively impacts the public.

“We suggest the tariff for short journeys stay the same to protect the most vulnerable.

“We also propose an increase across other elements, an additional tariff for journeys in a mini-bus for 5-8 passengers, a maximum cost for transporting bags, for professional valet cleaning and an increase in cost of hiring a vehicle between 12- 7am, all day on a bank holiday,”

“We will then go to a consultation, for 14 days, publicised in local newspapers, inline with statutory requirements.”

Cllr Eryl Jones Williams said the proposals were “generous and fair” and supported the recommendation “100 percent”.

Cllr Brynmor Hughes supported them, but highlighted the cost of taxis for people on the Llŷn travelling to Aberdaron, Abersoch and Pwllheli.

“People complain about prices, they are awful no one controls what taxis charge, they charge what they like.”

But Mr Jones explained the maximum fares proposed were only for hackney vehicles.

“If they go above the maximum fare that is a matter of regulation,” he said.

He queried if the example related perhaps to private firms who could set their own rates, and the councillor said he would check.

Cllr Gwynfor Owen queried the valeting fee.

“When you think of someone soiling the vehicle you think of someone who is drunk, my concern is for those who may be very ill.”

He agreed the first mile cost should stay at £3.60 “to help the vulnerable” but said he had heard of cases where taxis refused short journeys because they “weren’t worth it”.

Mr Jones explained the valeting fee rise was necessary in cases where people had been on a night out rather than “exceptional situations” where someone might be ill. The fee was discretionary.

“There is no evidence that taxis were refusing people short journeys,” he added.

Cllr Angela Russell suggested that £120 for valeting was high” saying “you can clean an entire holiday home for that, it seems a bit excessive”.

She also said for people in towns like Caernarfon, Bangor and Pwlheli it was easier for people to get taxis but in places like Aberdaron “people are stuck” adding that rises “could affect business”, if people couldnt make journeys to shop.

Mr Jones said: “It isn’t easy, some of these maximum fares do need to increase there’s pressures on the taxi industry and there are people who depend on their services, it’s a challenging situation.”

Cllr Edgar Owen also had concerns over businesses and Cllr Gareth Williams sympathised with the drivers facing diesel costs.

“As you have said there are vulnerable people who are reliant on taxis – it is challenging.”

Cllr Eryl Jones Williams agreed the report was “very fair” but asked if there was a way to look into “finding out if taxis had refused short journeys” as he had concerns for women travelling.

Mr Jones said: “Someone would have to report this to the licensing committee so we could investigate.”

Cllr Eryl Jones Williams added: “If a taxi refused it is up to the person to get in touch with the department, but by then it is too late, that person could have been be at risk going home at night.”

Cllr Gwynfor Owen added: “But, the only way we can know, is if people report it.”