Would a taxi fare increase be justified?

As reported in the Express and Star yesterday, Walsall Council's licensing and safety committee will today meet to discuss a proposed rise in the cost of taxi fares in the borough.

The newspaper - www.expressandstar.com - said that the rise was being proposed to cover driver's costs.

The Walsall Hackney Carraige Association are blaming the rise on the increasing cost of fuel and insurance.

Under the proposals, fares would rise by up to 20 per cent, with the cost of the first mile of a journey between 6am and 6pm going up from £3.60 to £4.30, and then a rise from £1.50 to £1.60 for each mile afterwards.

Would you still take a cab if this rise came into effect? Do you think taxi fares are too high anyway? Or, with rising fuel costs, are measures like this unavoidable? Let us know.