Taxi prices at night in Coventry have been raised to try and tempt more drivers back on the road.

An increasing number of hackney carriage drivers have refused to work nights because of the risk of damage to their vehicles.

Councillors today agreed to hike the minimum fare for night journeys to £3 - 80p above the standard day fare.

And the night tariff will now come into force at 10pm instead of midnight.

They also increased the prices for journeys in the day by more than 6 per cent – double the rate of inflation.

Licensing officer Frank Barlow told the city council’s Licensing Panel that a new formula had been drawn up by an independent group to work out the price rises.

He said that the rise in inflation had not covered increases in taxi drivers’ expenses including fuel, insurance and maintenance.

And comparisons with neighbouring areas showed that Coventry’s prices were lower.

The biggest shortfall was in waiting time, with drivers clocking up 20 pence for every 1 minute 45 seconds when the vehicle is stationary or travelling below 6 mph.

This works out as an hourly rate of £6.86. But most other areas charged £10 an hour, and Coventry’s rate has now been altered to reach this mark.

Mr Barlow said that drivers were also unwilling to take short journeys because their overheads were making too more expensive for them.

Roy Dewis, chairman of the Coventry Taxi Association, said since the cabs were deregulated, drivers have been reluctant to work nights.

He said:

“In the past everyone would have worked nights because they would have lost their plates. But now people don’t want to.

“If you get a panel kicked it costs £100 to fix. I’ve been to Birmingham a few times and round Broad Street everyone certainly seems friendlier.

“I don’t know what it is in Coventry when people have had a few drinks, but it is much worse.

“Saying that, it has got better in recent years since the police have had the security cameras to help them.”

Cllr Eric Linton, chair of the panel, said: