HARD-pressed Wyre Forest taxi drivers have been forced to put up their fares by 10p a mile in the wake of soaring fuel prices.
It is the first increase in almost three years and takes the cost of riding in a taxi from £1.10 a mile to £1.20, on top of the minimum start fare of £2 for the first half-mile.
Roy Powell, chairman of the Wyre Forest Taxi Drivers Association, said the decision had been made as petrol prices were leaping towards £1 a litre.
"They have dropped back a bit but we need to stay ahead of the game and other costs, like maintenance and insurance, have also gone up," he said, adding: "We have kept the charges stable for as long was we could and I think 10p a mile is quite a modest increase - certainly none of my customers have complained."
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