Public views sought for Taxi fare review in Highland

21st May 2018

The public is being asked for its views on proposals by The Highland Council to review the maximum level of charges for the hire of taxis or private hire cars fitted with taxi meters operating under licence of The Highland Council.

The Council has a statutory duty in terms of Section 17 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 to review its scales for the fares and other taxi related charges every 18 months.

The proposed changes, which would take effect from October 2018 include:

Increase tariff 1 from £4.00 to £4.50 for the first mile and to increase the charge per mile after this from £1.80 to £2.00;

For tariff 2 the price of the first mile to be increased from £4.70 to £5.80 and the price per mile thereafter to be increased from £1.90 to £2.50;

For tarrif 3 the price of the first mile to be increased from £5.70 to £6.80 and the price per mile thereafter to be increased from £2.40 to £3.00;

Introduce new tariffs 4 and 5 for vehicles carrying passengers over the festive period between 6.00pm on Christmas Eve and 6.00am on Boxing Day and between 6.00pm on New Year 's Eve and 6.00am on 2 January, tariff 4 being applicable to vehicles carrying up to 4 passengers and tariff 5 being applicable where 5 or more passengers are carried;.

Increase the booking ahead charge from 50p to £1.00;

Airport car parking cost incurred may be charged on production of a receipt to the hirer

Members of the public are invited to submit their comments about these proposals by Thursday 21 June 2018. This can be done via an e-mail to licensing@highland.gov.uk or in writing to Susan Blease, Principal Solicitor (Regulatory Services), The Highland Council, Council Offices, High Street, Dingwall, IV159QN

All representations received will be considered by the Highland Licensing Committee.

In reviewing and putting forward these proposed changes to the fares for consultation, the Council has taken into account increases in the costs of operating taxis, such as rising diesel, petrol and overall vehicle running costs and costs of employing drivers.

Councillor Ian Cockburn, Chair of the Highland Licensing Committee, said: "In putting forward these proposed changes for consultation, Members of the Licensing Committee were mindful of The Scottish Government's advice that `the public interest is better served by ensuring the maintenance of an adequate taxi service by giving the trade a fair return than by depressing fares for social reason, however understandable’. It is stressed, however, that these proposed fares would be the maximum fares which taxis might charge and that individual operators would be free to charge less."