TAXI drivers in Fareham borough face swingeing increases in charges - with some facing a hike of as much as 127 per cent.

The increases have been set at a level to cover "reasonable" costs of administering the service in whole or in part, borough councillors were told.

Members of the health and environment committee were faced with two alternative lists of new taxi charges, giving different increases but both with the same outcome of total increase.

All the charges relate to the year 2000/2001.

Chairman Bob Munden said the overall increase would be 0.43 pence per passenger mile.

Councillors also agreed to introduce a new charge of £25 for drivers failing to attend a meter check appointment.

The charges apply across the board and include hackney carriage and private hire licences, operator's licenses, driver's licences, meter check, driver's badge and vehicle plates.

Although an initial hackney carriage driver's licence will go up from £46 to £68 - or 47.83 per cent - a subsequent licence will go up from £23 to £51 or 121.74 per cent.

The decision to review the charges is part of an overall review of all charges which the council makes, including dog kennelling, pet shop licences, dog breeders' licences, theatre licences and others.

Charges, except for hackney carriages, have increased by about five per cent, according to government guidelines.

Tom Gane, chairman of Fareham Taxi Association, said: "We are disgusted at this increase. It is totally unfair. We are going to protest strongly.

"Our increase in fares was less than two per cent."

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.