“BIASED” and “detrimental” is how the recent public consultation on taxi tariffs has been described by the Salisbury City Council leader.

At the extraordinary meeting of Wiltshire Council’s licensing committee, members approved changes to the county-wide five-tier taxi tariff system currently in place, and agreed the amendments should be put to public consultation so residents can have their say.

However these proposed tariff changes are different to what was discussed and agreed by Salisbury City Council earlier in the year, and Councillor Jeremy Nettle is now “concerned” for Salisbury residents and the night time economy.

Despite residents getting an opportunity to express their views on the updated tariff system, Cllr Nettle said: “Wiltshire Council’s licensing committee is ignoring a democratic process and has chosen to carry out its own biased questionnaire, which is not only detrimental to the residents and their families in Salisbury, but also to the city’s evening and night time economy.”

At the Salisbury City Council Planning Committee meeting on January 6 councillors unanimously agreed to back tariff changes in which the countywide five-tier system will instead be spilt into three in Salisbury, and pricier tiers four and five will be abolished.

It was approved by Salisbury councillors that hackney carriages - taxis that can pick up passengers from the street or from ranks - use tariff one, offering the lowest prices, between 6am and 10.59pm, tariff two between 11pm and 5.59am, as well as all day on Sundays and on Boxing Day, and tariff three on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day only.

However, at the extraordinary meeting of Wiltshire Council’s licensing committee on January 27, these members approved that hackney carriages with up to four seats should use tariff one between 6am and 9.59pm, tariff two between 10pm and 5.59am and tariff three all day on Easter Sunday, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and bank holidays.

The authority also approved that vehicles with more than four seats should run tariff two between 6am and 9.59pm, tariff four between 10pm and 5.59am and tariff five on the same public holidays as listed above.

It was agreed that an additional 30p will be added to all flag rates.

Cllr Nettle pointed out that the city council did not agree on tariffs changing depending on taxi size, and he has raised his overall concerns with Wiltshire Council.

He said: “If the licensing committee or any other Wiltshire committee wants to consult with our residents then my request is talk to Salisbury City Council first, as other strategic departments at Wiltshire Council have.”

The public consultation ends tomorrow and it is anticipated by Wiltshire Council that the updated system will be implemented in the summer.

If the proposed taxi tariff and fare schedule is voted against however, discussion will return to the licensing committee.

As previously reported, Bridget Wayman, cabinet member for transport, said that there are "differing needs" across the county, but the proposed new tariffs "represent a compromise on the feedback [the council has] had from taxi operators and businesses in these areas".

She added: “The current tariffs have been in place since 2015, and following feedback from businesses around the county, this is the right time to make these changes.

“We have been holding discussions with stakeholders in both the taxi industry and the night-time economy for the past two years, and have taken their feedback into account when creating these new proposals.

“We hope these proposals will bring a number of benefits, as they will ensure taxi charges are comparable to our nearest neighbouring authorities; they will encourage more people to enjoy the county’s night-time economy; and they will reduce the number of people walking home late at night, which will make nights out even safer for residents and visitors to Wiltshire."