Telford taxi drivers angered by licence fees rise
Taxi drivers are up in arms after Telford & Wrekin Council put up the cost of licence fees by £32.
Hackney carriage and private hire firms will be charged £220 for a three-year licence, up from £188, from June 1.
New vehicle plates for black cabs will now cost £150 up from £110, a rise of £40.
However, the cost of the street knowledge test will now drop from £128 to £73.
Brian Smith, chairman of Telford's Hackney Carriages Association, said: "We are not very pleased about the fee rises at all.
"The charges should stay the same because black cabs are already being squeezed by competition.
"The council needs to step up enforcement not put up the fees."
Emily Taylor, a spokeswoman for Telford & Wrekin Council said: "We are currently consulting on the increase of licensing fees for taxis, including Hackney carriages.
"We are not aware of any representation from the Hackney Carriage Association to date but we would welcome any feedback.
"The consultation closes on Wednesday 3 May.
"With regards to enforcement of taxi ranks, we always react to any complaint received and we also continue to undertake spot checks, particularly at Telford Central railway station."
