Drivers were divided over the fare hike which will make Coventry's cabs among the costliest to ride in the UK

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Coventry's black cabs will be among the costliest to ride in the UK from this August. A hike in fares was approved at a meeting of the Cabinet Member for City Services.

It's the first time since 2014 that the city's hackney cab prices have risen. From August 1, 2022, Coventry black cabs will have daytime tariffs of £3.80 and increases of 30p per 1/10th of a mile.

This is up from a current rate of £2.80 with 25p incremental increases. The hike is also likely to affect other private hire services in Coventry as these customarily reflect the prices of black cabs.

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A council report before the meeting stated that hackney cabs will be the 8th costliest to ride in the country if the price is approved. This is according to Private Hire magazine's April edition - which put Coventry's current cab fares at number 128th in the UK out of 365 licensing areas.

While more than 40% of the city's taxi trade backed the fare rise, over a third wanted to see prices stay the same. Cab drivers were divided over the benefits and drawbacks of a fare rise, a council consultation showed.

Some responses from drivers said the hike would be fair compared with Uber rates and amid the soaring cost of living. But others feared it would put potential riders off, especially given the increasing popularity of private vehicle hire apps like Uber and Ola.

Cllr Patricia Hetherton, the council's Cabinet Member for City Services, acknowledged this when approving the price rise. "It doesn't matter what we do - we're going to upset some people," she said.

Explaining her decision, she said: "It's not just what the trade wants, it's looking at it fairly."