Taxi fare review in Highland

The public is being asked for its views on proposals by The Highland Council to increase the cost of all fares, regardless of the distance travelled by 30p.

It is also proposed that the charge applied to compensate for the cost of the outward journey for hires which commence 3 miles or more away from the taxi or taxi base (whichever is the nearer) and where the customer wishes to travel further away be increased from a maximum of £6.50 to a maximum of £7.50.

The proposal is part of the review by The Highland Licensing Committee of the scale of maximum taxi fares in the Highlands. The public have until Tuesday 11 March to have their say. Responses will be reported to the Council’s Highland Licensing Committee on Tuesday 1 April with a proposed implementation date of midnight on Monday 26 May.

In reviewing the fares, the Council has taken into account increases in the costs of operating taxis, such as rising diesel, petrol and overall vehicle running costs.

Councillor Maxine Smith, Convener of the Highland Licensing Committee, said: “The Committee has exercised a balancing function in setting taxi fares between the expectations of taxi operators to earn a living against the public expectation to be able to hire a taxi of reasonable quality at a reasonable price.”

Operators, she said, were entitled to charge any fare, provided it did not exceed the maximum provided for in the tariff.

The Council hereby invites the public or any other interested parties to submit written representations about these proposals.

Representations should be sent to the Legal Manager (Regulatory Services), The Highland Council, Tigh na Sgire, Park Lane, Portree, IV51 9GP or by e-mail to licensing@highland.gov.uk by Tuesday 11 March 2014.  

Representations received by this deadline will be considered by the Highland Licensing Committee at it’s meeting on 1 April 2014 before a new tariff is agreed.

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