Taxi Driver Online

Fuel costs prompt taxi fare rise

Scotland's traffic commissioner has almost doubled a proposed rise in taxi fares due to increasing fuel prices. Joan Aitken said she believed an increase in maximum prices was "overdue" in the Scottish Borders.

Ms Aitken said there was clear evidence that the rise in fuel costs was not a "blip" and fares will now rise by 7% from 25 June. Taxi operators in the region wanted prices to rise higher than the council's proposed increase of 3.9%.

David Cox, a taxi operator from Innerleithen, Peeblesshire, had objected to the council increase saying there had not been proper consultation. He said the authority had not taken into account rising fuel prices estimated at 30% in recent times.

An appeal hearing was held in Galashiels earlier this month and now the traffic commissioner has agreed there was a case for a greater increase in maximum fares.

"There is very clear evidence of an increase in fuel costs and it is within general knowledge that such fuel increases are not likely to be a blip as some have been in the past," she said. "I can regard the level of fuel increases as a reality."

It means operators can now charge £4.76 for a two-mile journey instead of the current £4.26 fare and £11.91 for a seven-mile trip compared with the existing £11.28. These charges, however, are maximum fares and operators are still entitled to charge less for journeys.

The traffic commissioner was also critical of SBC in her judgment. She said consultation was undertaken far too late and said it had failed in its role as an economic regulator with power and control over the livelihood of others.

She pointed out taxi operators cannot award themselves an increase to reflect cost increases and are totally dependent on the council. Mr Cox, who runs Peeblesshire Taxis and had the support of 41 drivers with his appeal, said he was delighted with the outcome.

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IDFIMH

have you got the rest of it Sussex, i have the full doc and i sent it to Alex but he is away for a few days, send me a pm with your email and i will send you it to put up.
you will need a windows picture viewer or fax reader as its in tif format

I can understand the logic of a tariff increase due to increasing fuel prices but feck me, not while heading into a recession.

Taxis for most people are a luxury and there’s little enough work as it is. All a tariff rise means is fewer fares, higher rentals and less money.

If a tariff rise goes ahead in Edinburgh, it will feck us all


It doesn’t matter what you charge if no one is prepared pay.

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

I agree skull a fare rise will not work this time it must be a reduction in the fuel prices nothing else.

The TDO formatted pdf file of this decision can be downloaded from the following link. The changes are highlighted in RED.

http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/files/tcreport.pdf

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

Many thanks for doing that JD, it was hard to read in the other format thats if you could open it

Your welcome.

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

What a damming indictment of that council, or should I say council officials. In short a complete disgrace.

They breached the 1982 Scots act by not reviewing fares within the 18 months limit. Now that's bad enough, but they did it two years after being criticized by the same Traffic Commissioner for doing it then. Complete disregard for the rule of law.

They come up with proposals to up fares by RPI not based on the costs associated with running a cab, but because that's the increase the gov has allowed in benefits. The fact that fuel has gone up 30% meant nothing to these people.

And then they have the bloody cheek to delay the increase because they don't want it to effect school contracts. You couldn't make it up.

And then they write a report to councillors, allowing a whole five minutes to discuss the livelihoods of 100s of drivers, that has no mention of the objections received and the basis of those objections.

IMO the Traffic Commissioner was being very polite by not asking that these people be sacked, but sacked they should be.

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IDFIMH

I agree. I thought we had a bunch of tw*ts running our council but yours get the biscuit skippy

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

I'm surprised no one has actually commented on the measly rise this council wanted to give drivers.

Its all highlighted in red.

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

I heard on the Radio that shops increasing their prices face a fall customers coming through their doors.

When people stop spending they stop buying and when they stop buying retailers stop selling and on and on . . . down the plughole . . . .


Never mind people will still spend their money on taxis NOT

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

Initial Hire - not exceeding 131.24 yards (120 metres) £2.00

Each additional-131.24 yards (120 metres) or part Thereof £0.10

After 60 seconds each 35 seconds £0.10
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Initial Hire - not exceeding 131.24 yards (120 metres) £2.00

EACH ADDITIONAL‐127.95 YARDS (117 METRES) OR PART THEREOF £0.10

After 60 seconds each 35 seconds £0.10
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The bottom fare is the one which the council wanted to implement. You will notice that everything stayed the same except for the yardage which worked out at a princely gain of 3.29 yards on the trip and 41 yards over a mile. This amounts to basically no increase whatsoever. Its no wonder the Traffic Commissioner decided to increase the tariff.

Regards

JD

12.4 12.7

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

Aye, and he couldn't of picked a better time.

Do you think the public will notice?


I know if they go down this route in Edinburgh the press will crucify us and the public will be next.

The last thing the public want to hear is that greedy fecking taxi drivers are ramming it right up them.

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

Oh and btw, any sob story about the price of diesel won't cut it, the public are looking for someone to blame - talk about turkeys voting for Christmas

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

Even with the present fares its getting quiet, and most drivers dont even get anything like the minimum wage I would have an educated guess that they will be on less than £3.00 an hour, for 70 to 80 hours a week
Any driver who drives receives a split bag and because of how much they have to hand over each week they think feck this and put there own cab on only to find out its tough at the top, and now they are starting to suffer.
I was interviewed yesterday by radio borders, and got my free advert in I informed them we needed a rise but not at this time, that went down like a lead balloon with some of the owners and drivers, I even mentioned that I would still do discounts for my regulars and students and would not be putting the £1.00 extra on until midnight.
The thing that really [edited by admin] them of was I said that the fares where the maximum and drivers are free to discount and the public should ask the drivers if they will before getting in.
They only have to put up with me for another 17 years or so before I retire, thats if the government dont price us off the road, and more than likely everyone who is working here now will have moved on and some more new idiots will have taken there place, yes its unbelievable what has happened in the last 28 years