Taxi fares in Midlothian could go up by up to 20% after cab firms called for an increase in their first review in three years.
Midlothian Taxi Owner’s Association (MTOA)has called on the council to consider introducing fares which mirror colleagues in Edinburgh and say costs have increase significantly since the last review in 2022.
A report to the council’s general purposes committee next week asks elected members to consider amended tariffs which increase initial fares and the amount of mileage charged and , if accepted, agree to put them out to public consultation.
It says the taxi owner association had said increased costs include fuel and public electric vehicle charging, along with insurance, licence fees and business costs.
It says: “The MTOA advocates for a wider review of tariff setting and specifically wished the committee to be informed that they believe the Midlothian fees should mirror those in the City of Edinburgh.
“They identify similarities with the trade and business environment in Edinburgh, including shared taxi cab inspection/fees conditions.”
However the officers add: “It is of note that the City of Edinburgh tariffs are set based on different travel distances and waiting times to those currently applied in Midlothian; any change in approach would require further research.”
The proposed new fares would see initial hire charges during the day go up to £3.50 from £3, with the evening charge going from £3.80 to £4.50 and festive holiday rates going from £4.50 to £5.
It proposed additional time and distance charges of 25p go to 30p – a 20% increase, across all tariffs.
If given the go ahead a report will be brought back to the committee with the results of the consultation before a final decision is made in the near future.
By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency. It is funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector (in Edinburgh that is Reach plc (the publisher behind Edinburgh Live and The Daily Record) and used by many qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover news about top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.
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