Christmas shoppers and revellers have been hit by a taxi fare rise in Blackburn and Darwen two days before Christmas.

Private Hire drivers have voted to increase the minimum fare by 30p to £2.30 from today - but the cabs are still cheaper than other areas of East Lancashire.

Fares will rise on the second mile by 50p to £3.30, on the third mile by 80p to £4.30 and by £1 to £5.30 on the fifth. The rises are on top of the normal seasonal increases for Christmas and the New Year.

In Burnley the minimum fare is £2.50 with 80p for each subsequent mile, in Clitheroe it is £2.50 with £1.75 for each extra mile, in Accrington it is £2.50 with £1 for each mile afterwards.

Taxi drivers said they have been left with no choice because of rising licence costs from Blackburn with Darwen Council in April and fuel and insurance costs.

The major increase has been the introduction of a four-monthly MOT-test costing £102.

Other costs include £50 for an identification badge, £144 for a 12-month licence for vehicles over three-years-old, a rise of £2, and £76.50 for a six-month licence, a rise of £4.

Blackburn with Darwen Council said the licence charges were in the interests of public safety and to cover the costs of the licensing system.

Mohammed Nawaz Khan, chairman of the Blackburn with Darwen Private Hire Association, said: "In the last two years we have not put our fares up.

"We've been forced to do it now because of the increases we've had to shoulder.

"It's getting to the point where our drivers find it difficult to make a living and many have to leave the business and find other jobs.

"The council are creaming it in."

Steve Grunshaw, of A2B Private Hire, said: "All the costs keep going up it, seems that there's a new one every month.

"You can work from 6am-6pm and after all the costs you've only made £20."

Zulf Chaudry, of A2B, said: "I have a young family and I am finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet.

"I don't know about the future but I know many have left the job because they can't make enough money."

Coun Jim Blackburn, Chair of Blackburn with Darwen licensing committee, said he could not comment on the fares increase, but he said the licensing costs for a taxi driver were not that high.

"It currently costs a driver less than £1 a week to be licensed to drive a taxi.

"If the driver operates his own licensed vehicle the cost of the vehicle licence, taxi safety tests and driver licence works out at less than £1 a day.

"The council aims to recover the cost of licensing the taxi service but does not make a profit.

"Officer time is spent on investigating complaints as well as ensuring that all the safety standards are maintained, which is our priority."