The public is set to be hit in the pocket once again, this time due to rising taxi fares in Belfast.

Public hire taxi fares in the city are to increase by up to almost 20% from the start of next month, promising further financial hardship for those who depend upon them for their daily travel.

However, the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA), which announced the hike yesterday, says fares will still be lower than other comparable cities in the UK.

“These increases will mean operators and drivers can recoup costs and ensure vehicles can be properly maintained and periodically upgraded,” said DVA Chief Executive, Brendan Magee.

“They will also help to encourage more drivers into the licensed Belfast public hire sector.

“However, they continue to represent good value for the customer in that Belfast fares will still compare favourably with many comparators in Great Britain.”

The new regulation will affect around 500 taxis which operate within Belfast.

The increase will be of between 13% and 19%, depending on the time of travel, and will come into operation on August 1.

The agency said that there was no evidence to suggest that capital or running costs were lower in Northern Ireland than elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

The price rise has been criticised, however, with the Consumer Council labelling it an “unwelcome blow” for taxi users.

“No home has escaped the rising costs of food, fuel, energy and mortgages,” a Consumer Council spokesperson said.

“More and more people are finding themselves in financial difficulty as it becomes increasingly difficult to make the weekly or monthly wage stretch to cover the basics.

“To learn that public hire taxi fares are also set to rise is another unwelcome blow for consumers, especially for those people who rely on their services to get from A to B.”

Belfast Lord Mayor Tom Hartley said that in the current financial climate, taxis needed to be affordable for users.

“As always it is those who use public transport and taxis, particularly low wage earners, who will increasingly find it difficult to use the facilities of the city,” he said.

“The central government needs to do something about fuel prices as a means of ensuring that public transport and the taxi fares can be maintained at a level that taxis can still be used by the lowest paid in our society.”