TAXI fares in the Malvern district are to go up from April 1 to help cover the cost of rising fuel prices and drivers' pay increases.

The fare increases were approved by Malvern Hills District Council's executive committee following a request by local taxi drivers because the price of fuel has risin and the national minimum wage has increased since fares were last increased two years ago.

The new fares mean that for a normal daytime fare, the first mile charge will go up by 20p to £3.50 and each subsequent mile will be charged at £1.90 - a 10p increase.

For fares from midnight to 7am, Sundays, Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve and Bank Holidays, the first mile charge goes up by 30p to £5.25 and each subsequent mile will be charged at £2.85 - a 15p increase.

Fares on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day the first mile charge will go up 40p to £7 and each subsequent mile will be charged at £3.80 - a 20p rise.

Ivor Pumphrey, Malvern District Council's head of customer and environmental services, told the committee that the proposed increases were considered reasonable in the light of the significant cost in providing taxi services.