Worcester City Council’s “embarrassing” U-turn over taxi fares has cost the authority £1,400, it has been revealed.
The council agreed in June to increase the minimum charges for Hackney carriage journeys in the city following a request from the Worcester Taxi Association.
However, the proposed price hike was scrapped last week after the association said a survey of its members had shown there was not enough support for the increase.
At a full council meeting on Tuesday (September 15), Councillor Alex Mace asked how much the council had spent reviewing the fares, carrying out consultation and producing reports.
He called the U-turn “embarrassing”.
Richard Udall, chair of the council’s licensing and environmental health committee, confirmed the cost was £1,400 and said he shared Cllr Mace’s frustration.
“We acted on a request from the taxi drivers’ association,” he said, adding that the U-turn shows Worcester is a “listening council and that consultation works”.