MILLENNIUM eve party goers had better dig deep into their pockets if they are expecting to pay for a taxi to transport them to and from events.

Craven District Council has just approved a plan for hackney carriages to be able to charge £4.80 for one mile and up to £14.40 for just five miles from 6pm New Year's Eve to 6pm New Year's Day.

A hackney carriage is one that can either be flagged on a street or found on a taxi rank rather than a private hire which has to be booked by phone.

Craven District Taxi Drivers Association (CDTDA) had asked to increase its tariffs to be more in line with the national average.

Statistics produced by the National Private Hire Association show that Craven District Council is at number 330 in the national league table for a two mile fare.

The other proposed increases include an extra 10p on a one mile journey between 6am and midnight taking the cost to £2. The charge then goes up by £1 for every extra mile travelled.

From midnight to 6am the cost for one mile has gone up by 10p to £2.40, with a charge of £1.20 for every extra mile travelled.

Lindsey Allen, the council's team leader of food, health and safety and licensing, said the decision to increase the costs on millennium eve were taken to try to encourage more taxi drivers to work through the night.

"This is so we do not have people stranded in the town centre when they have been drinking and not being able to get home. This would cause more problems for the police," she said.

She added that although there had been an increase in taxi fares generally last year there had not been any change from 1991 to 1996. The CDTDA was seeking to recover lost ground during the five year period and take into account the minimum wage and increases in insurance and fuel.

The Association also proposed that once a reasonable parity was reached subsequent increases should be kept in line with the retail price index.

A letter from National Private Hire Association stated: "The reason for Craven being behind the averages is that, unlike many other areas in the country, taxi fare increases have not taken place on a regular, yearly basis. As a result the members of the trade in Craven are now severely and demonstrably disadvantaged."

This was not discussed in great detail by the council because it was thought it would need further consideration.

The council hopes to implement the new charges by December 1 when it has had chance to advertise them. It also hopes to contact the local elderly groups to actively promote the sharing of taxis, so that the many elderly people who use taxis are not seriously affected by the increases.

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