New taxi tariff structure agreed
At today’s (Tuesday 11 August) meeting of the Highland Licensing Committee, a new taxi tariff structure, which will be applied from September 2015, was agreed.
The Highland 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.
In May members of the public were invited to submit comments on the proposal by the 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 representations received were considered by the Committee earlier today before they agreed to the following changes;
Tariff 1;
- For the first 785 yards or part £ 3.00
- For each additional 130 yards or part 10p
Tariff 2; applies on Good Friday, Easter Monday and May Day and between 9.00 pm and 7.00 am on any day, all day on Saturday and Sunday and when 5 or more passengers are being carried at any time of any day or night, for example, by a “London” style taxi or by a “people carrier” or by a minibus, except where Tariff 3 applies.
- For the first 560 yards or part £ 3.30
- For each additional 92 yards or part 10p
Tariff 3; applies on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Day and 2nd January. It also applies when 5 or more passengers are being carried between 9.00 pm and 7.00 am, all day on Saturday and Sunday and on Good Friday, Easter Monday and May Day for example, by a “London” style taxi or by a “people carrier” or by a minibus.
- For the first 444 yards or part £ 3.90
- For each additional 74 yards or part .10p
*Extra Charges
- Waiting time for first 2 minutes 10p
- For each additional period of 20 seconds or part thereafter 10p
- Booking ahead e.g. by telephone 50p
- Any bridge tolls or ferry charges, where applicable.
In addition, provision has been made for a supplementary booking charge of up to a maximum of £8.00 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 the customer wishes to travel further away. This charge may only be demanded if the customer is informed of the amount of the charge at the time of booking.
The new tariff will apply from September 2015 unless operators appeal the Council’s decision to the Traffic Commissioner.