Licensing committee confirms new taxi tariffs

The Committee has also agreed 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.

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: “In setting taxi fares we took account of 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 they did not exceed the maximum provided for in the tariff.

Note:  The introduction of the new fares is subject to any appeal being submitted by the taxi operators to the Traffic Commissioner for Scotland.

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