Taxi Fares to Rise But Guildford Public Housing Stock in Good Shape GBC Exec Reports

Published on: 23 Mar, 2012
Updated on: 24 Mar, 2012

Rising cost of Diesel fuel has triggered the reintroduction of a fuel surcharge on taxi fares. It will be double that previously imposed and will cause fares to rise. Meanwhile a new methodology for calculating taxi fares is being sent to an auditor for an independent review. The new formula was the subject of an angry meeting between taxi driver representatives and the licensing committee in January.

The formula for calculating taxi fares can be complicated. Each fare has two main components the ‘flag’ rate and the mileage charge. The flag rate is the amount automatically charged as soon as the journey commences. Once a journey exceeds a certain time the rest of the journey is charged per mile but the amount of empty time, time when taxis are, for instance, returning to a taxi rank, has also to be included in the fare setting formula. A fuel surcharge can also be included and it is this component that is now to be reintroduced.

Council Houses in Guildford, here at Park Barn, are being maintained to a good standard

Review Finds Guildford’s Public Housing In Good Shape

A recent independent review of the 5,500 council houses in the Borough of Guildford has found that they are, overall, in good condition. Lead Councillor for Housing & Social Care, Sarah Creedy, presenting the report, said that it was testament to the good management of council properties by council officers in the Estates Management Team. Over £6m is spent by the council, annually, to maintain the properties.

Offering cross party support Cllrs Caroline Reeves (Lib Dem) and Angela Gunning (Lab) agreed that the houses were in good condition, “Better than in some other areas of the country where I have lived,” said Cllr Reeves. Angela Gunning said that she thought that the quality of some of the housing, especially those built in the post war period, such as Bellfields, were models of their type.