The Transport Minister has approved a 20 percent increase in taxi fares across the board.

An agreement on the fare increase between Government and a taxi working group was made last week but Transport Minister Ewart Brown said the increase would depend on taxi drivers performance.

But last night a Transport Ministry spokesperson told : ?The Minister has approved a fare increase of 20 percent for this year and five percent as the further increase thereafter.?

A taxi members meeting is scheduled for tonight at Warwick Workmen?s Club to discuss fare increases and the implementation of global positioning system.

Last week taxi drivers were also hoping to meet with Premier Alex Scott over frustration that the fares had not been increased since 1997.

In an article in on Friday, Transport Permanent Secretary Mark Telemaque said the public would be consulted on fare options.

But last night the spokesperson confirmed that the fares would increase as the earlier agreement.

He said: ?The fare increase forms part of a more comprehensive package which will deal with a number of taxi owner concerns including security issues and issues surrounding new and improved vehicles.?

Yesterday, taxi driver Terry Southern said an increase was needed because of the overhead cost for taxi drivers and the fact that the Government applies the same payroll tax to the taxi industry as it does to doctors and lawyers.

?People have this concept that we?re millionaires and we all live in Tucker?s Town but taxi drivers are just like everyone else. We?ve suffered because of Hurricane Fabian and the local market is not that lucrative,? he said.