HUNDREDS of taxi drivers in Bolton are preparing to go on strike over what they say are unfair license fee rises.

Bolton Council has signed off plans to significantly raise the price of license applications and renewals for both private hire and hackney drivers working in the borough.

The changes have come in as part of a national review into licensing costs — prompted by a landmark ruling which found in favour of sex shops in Westminster in London.

The review means council’s have had to look into the costs they charge for issuing licenses for bars, pubs and scrap metal dealers as well as taxi drivers and sex shops.

In Bolton, the review — which has been independently audited — found that in order to correctly cover its costs, the licensing department must raise the cost of a first time license for private hire and Hackney drivers from £80 to £195 — a rise of 143 per cent.

For current drivers, the cost of renewal licenses have rocketed as well — from £41 to £82 (50 per cent) for Hackney cabs and from £41 to £114 (178 per cent) for private hire drivers.

These rises will, however, be staggered across three years, to limit the impact on drivers and will not reach the full new price until 2017/18.

The Westminster ruling has brought good news for sex shop proprietors in Bolton — with the cost of a first-time license for such a business dropping dramatically from £2,165 to just £866 and an even bigger fall for license renewals.

And while drivers of taxis may suffer, major operators such as Metro, which run more than 50 cars will benefit from the new pricing structure — paying a flat rate of £1,233 for a license compared to previous costs which were able to rise to as much as £11,000.

Representatives of the Bolton Private Hire Association, which represents around 700 drivers in the borough, said its members are angry about the added costs and said a strike is now likely to happen “at any time soon.”

Secretary Yasif Khan said: “When we heard about the new prices, we knew it was too much and we have tried the diplomatic route with the council — but we are not being listened to, so a strike is now likely to happen soon.

“It could be tomorrow, it could be next week — but when it happens it won’t be for one or two days only, it will continue until we are heard.”

Group chairman Yasir Amir added: “The new costs are just too much, they are higher than other councils and they could put people out of business — the taxi trade in Bolton is already struggling.

“Since the proposals were passed, we have had hundreds of calls from drivers who are really worried — so we have to do something.”

Charlie Oaks, of the Bolton-based Hackney Drivers Association has more sympathy with the council on the matter.

He said: “This is not just in Bolton, it is happening across the board and the council has been very open with us and consulted us at every stage.

“The increases are a drastic blow to the trade but Bolton Council has bent over backwards to keep us up to date on the issues.”

Cllr Martin Donaghy is the chair of Bolton Council’s Licensing Committee, which approved the new measures.

He said: “The decision has been properly consulted upon with everyone involved — we have had a very open and honest discussion.

“Of course people don’t like having to pay more and that is very understandable but we feel that Bolton has been very reasonable.”

He added: “However, I have already told the officers that if we start to generate any profit it should be handed straight back to the drivers.”