Palma taxi fares set to rocket

Palma taxi drivers have presented the city council with a proposal to increase taxi fares by an average of 14.54 per cent next year. Should the city council approve the price hikes, it will still cost 300 pesetas just to board a taxi, but as soon as passengers are in, the meter will start running. Cabbies also want a night tariff introduced after 10pm which will see the 300 pesetas rise to 500 pesetas. Tariffs on fiestas and after hours could also rise by 11 pesetas per kilometre. According to a spokesperson for city taxis, over the past six years operating costs have increased by 58 per cent, but tariffs have only gone up by 12 per cent and now cabbies are starting to run at a loss. Initially cabbies wanted an 18 per cent increase in tariffs.