CHARGES for taxi drivers’ council services are set to increase under budget plans - with the cost of some fees rising by up to 34 per cent.

The prices of a private hire drivers’, vehicle and operator licence are all set to increase.

Wendy Loveday, chair of York Private Hire Association, said: “It’s a little bit excessive, particularly when you consider Uber drivers are not paying any of these charges. I think that’s why the taxi trade finds it very frustrating. We don’t mind paying our way but we do mind paying other people’s way. This money is going towards paying for extra enforcement officers because of out-of-town drivers working in York. Drivers' earnings have gone down and yet they are putting up our fees."

“Taxi licensing is not supposed to make a profit, it is self-sustaining, so what we pay goes towards funding members of staff for the department.”

The Conservative and Liberal Democrat groups declined to comment. A driver’s licence application fee will go from £139 to £152. The cost of a vehicle licence will go from £182 to £216.