Taxi drivers have received an extra 0.5 percent fare increase because of a flaw in the calibration of existing taxi meters.

As the Transport Control Department (TCD) began the recalibration of the meters to reflect the original 10.5 percent increase, it was discovered that drivers would be short half a penny on "drops" as the meter ran.

TCD noted that the technology does not support an accurate reflection of the increase awarded to the industry and said any attempts to round it off left the fare short by half a penny.

However, in an effort to ensure drivers were not shortchanged at the end of any journey, Premier Ewart Brown, also Minister of Transport, decided an increase of 11 percent would remedy this.

Director of TCD, Randy Rochester said: "We noticed the problem and a test confirmed that as the meter dropped the rates displayed were off by half a penny."

Consultations with the industry followed and Dr. Brown ordered the change."In the meantime, Mr. Rochester advised that rate cards setting out the increase should continue being used by taxi operators and he noted that a new date and time for taxi owners and operators to return to TCD for meter calibration will be announced shortly.

Additionally, the public is advised that legal advice regarding the 11 percent change is being sought and the Attorney General's Chambers was expected to advise the Ministry of Tourism and Transport on Monday.

Edward Darrell, owner of the Radio Cabs dispatching company, said the rate difficulty had been sorted out by his company: "In the original stages, at rate one, they started it off at $4.14 and they had five drops at 45 cents.

"And it was supposed to finish off at $6.35 but if you have all four's you can't end up with 35, so you were one cent short... so now they changed it over to $4.15 and 45 cent drops so it works out differently and it rounds out the figure.

"So, the first mile comes out to be $6.40, then on rate three it will go at $5.20."