BBC racked up £13,000 on taxis for workers last Christmas 

The BBC racked up nearly £13,000 on taxis for workers in just three days last Christmas.

Around 100 bills were filed by staff for using taxis on Christmas Day at various studios across the country – costing the broadcaster £6,528.

On Boxing Day staff spent almost £100 on the average taxi trip to get them in and out of their studios. 

Last year there were 94 cab journeys on Christmas Day, 57 on Boxing Day – costing £4,959 – and 20 on New Year’s Day, costing £1,127. 

Around 100 bills were filed by staff for using taxis on Christmas Day at various studios across the country – costing the broadcaster £6,528

The BBC said taxis are often the most appropriate means of transport over the festive period.

A spokesman for the Corporation told the Daily Star: ‘The BBC broadcasts day and night to the country, 365 days a year.

‘This requires essential staff to work in shifts including over the holidays and during anti-social hours. There are strict guidelines in place for when taxi use is allowed.’

James Price from the TaxPayers’ Alliance said: ‘Transport is difficult on Christmas Day, and no-one relishes working it, but these high costs are indicative of the BBC’s attitude towards spending.

‘At the very least they could look at using ride-hailing platforms to save licence-payers’ money.’

In August, it emerged the corporation is splashing out almost £500,000 a year on taxis.

The broadcaster was forced to reveal the eye-watering receipts under freedom of information laws.

BBC’S TAXI FARES  

The BBC spent more than £1.3million on taxi fares in just three years – an average of more than £1,200 a day. 

In 2014/15: £512,861

In 2015/16: £411,317

In 2016/17: £431,095

The data showed that over three years the BBC spent more than £1.3 million of license fee-payers’ money on cabs between April 2014 and April this year – equating to roughly £1,237 a day.

Journeys extend up to 45 miles away – the equivalent distance of London to Reading. 

The released figure may only be a fraction of the true cost however as fares wracked up by those working in ‘journalism, art or literature’ are exempted from disclosure.

The million pound taxi bill revelation came a month after the salaries of the broadcaster’s top stars were published.

Chris Evans was the corporation’s top earner last year on £2.25million, followed by Gary Lineker on £1.79million and Graham Norton on £899,999. 

Last year it was revealed the bloated corporation, which costs fee payers £147 a year, spent more than £50,000 on cabs that were left waiting for clients with the meter running.

And around £23,000 was spent on 1,500 taxis that were never used. 

 



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