A SIGNIFICANT rise in the cost of a taxi journey in Redditch has been blocked by Redditch councillors.

Instead, fares are likely to rise by about the cost of inflation, with the minimum charge for a journey rising from £2.14 to £2.20 plus 10p per 160 yards after that.

Drivers had asked that the minimum charge be raised to £2.50 because they had increasingly found themselves waiting longer on the rank for passengers taking short journeys.

They proposed that longer journeys over four miles would become progressively cheaper.

But councillors on the executive committee argued that with the recent bus service cuts, people - including pensioners - were becoming increasingly reliant on taxis and such a rise would not be fair.

Councillor Pat Wilson said: "I can understand drivers' reasons for wanting the fare increase but unfortunately, it comes at a time when so many people are deprived of buses."

Councillor Andy Fry said: "I agree with drivers that certainly during the day there are very long waits at the ranks for what could be a £3 journey.

"But I feel a rise in line with the Retail Price Index is appropriate."

A report for the executive committee showed that currently, Redditch ranks 200 out of 376 in a table of national fares and compared favourably with neighbouring Stratford or Bromsgrove.

The committee delegated the final decision on the fare hikes to council officers.