Fares could rise by around 10p per mile under new rates being proposed by Preston Council.

Mike Thorpe, the council's head of licensing, said that the fares boost bid was the result of pressure from local cab drivers.

Cabs charge a set amount for the first half-mile of any journey and then another fixed rate for every set number of yards travelled.

Time of day, Sundays and public holidays also affect charges.

Mr Thorpe said: "The yardage has changed for each of the three tariffs the drivers charge."

Under the proposals, the price of a late night taxi from Lancaster Road in the city centre to Liverpool Road in Penwortham, which currently costs £4.30, would go up to £5.70.

Meanwhile, a daytime shopping trip from Fulwood to the the city centre, which would cost £3.35 now, would rise to £4.25.

The new proposals will come into force on October 17 unless the council receives objections.

Meanwhile, a council report has revealed that almost one in four of the city's 187 "black cabs" licensed was involved in an accident over the last 12 months.

The figures show there were 45 accidents involving Hackney carriages, leading to six injuries.

There were also 48 accidents in the 378 private hire vehicles licensed by the city council during the same period, leading to ten injuries.

Phil Walsh of the licensing department admitted that even more accidents may have gone unreported.

He said: "There are probably others which we do not know about."

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