Palma cabbies get fare rise but told to improve service

Palma City Council held its last meeting of the year yesterday and sparks flew over the increase in taxi fares, although despite opposition parties being against the price hikes, the increase of 10.4 percent was approved. The Palma council opposition parties, already hounding Mayor Joan Fageda over Palma's dirty image, said that the increase in taxi fares will not be accompanied by a better service. Socialist party spokesperson Antoni Roig said that the council has adopted the wrong policy. “What the council should be doing is getting cars off the street and trying to encourage people to catch taxis, but putting the prices up just puts people off.” City cabbies claim that they have been given no option but to put fares up because of the high fuel prices, but the opposition says that the council should “be bold” and create one central fuel distribution point where cabbies can fill up at a more economical price. Majorcan Union party councillor Ferran Trujillo, launched a fierce attack on the city's poor taxi service which has got worse over the past two years, when it should have been improving.