Inverness taxi fares to rise

passengers to pay more for taxi fares

A new scale of taxi fares have been agreed by councilors.

Highland Council’s transport environmental and community services committee has confirmed the new rates.

If there are no appeals against the decision, the increases will take effect from Monday 27th June.

In reviewing the fares for the first time in 18 months, the council say it has taken into account increases in the costs of operating taxis, such as rising diesel, petrol and insurance premiums.

Councillor John Laing, committee chairman, said the council 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, he said, were entitled to charge any fare, provided it did not exceed the maximum provided for in the tariff.

The amendments proposed are:

Tariff 1: The cost of the first mile will rise from £3.20p to £3.30p, each subsequent mile will rise from £1.30p to £1.40p.

Tariff 2: applies on Good Friday, Easter Monday and May Day and between 10 pm and 7 am on any day, all day on Saturday and Sunday and when 5 or more passengers are being carried at any time of day or night): The cost of the first mile will rise from £4.30 to £4.40, each subsequent mile will rise from £1.80 to £1.90.

Tariff 3: applies on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and 2 January. It also applies when 5 or more passengers are being carried between 10 pm and 7 am, all day on Saturday and Sunday and on Good Friday, Easter Monday and May Day. Tariff 3 may be applied all day on Saturday where there are 5 or more passengers being carried.

A maximum charge of £60 is payable by an offending passenger, where a vehicle requires to be removed from service for cleaning in order for it to be restored to a usable state and condition.