Taxis push through 7 per cent fares hike
GARETH ROSE
TAXI fares are to be hiked but no more black cabs will be allowed on the streets of Edinburgh, under proposals set to be approved by city chiefs.
Passengers face a seven per cent increase in average fares despite Edinburgh already having the most expensive black cabs in Scotland.
The fare hike is a recommendation of a consultants' report which also rules out granting any new black cab licences as there is no "unmet demand".
Under the proposals, the amount on the meter before people get into the cab will rise from £1.45 to £1.50, and the time/mileage rate will increase from 23p to 25p.
Taxi meters are affected by both time spent in the cab and distance travelled, so sitting in a stationary taxi stuck in a queue still costs, but when a vehicle picks up speed the rate of charge also increases.
It is estimated that on average an £11 journey will cost passengers £12 if the increase is agreed and comes into force in February, as expected.
Both proposals will be discussed by Edinburgh City Council's regulatory committee on Wednesday.
If approved they will be seen as good news by many cabbies, who will enjoy higher earnings without an accompanying increase in competition.
However, it will be a blow for one city firm.
Threemaxblacks took the council to court in a bid to force its hand over taxi numbers in Edinburgh.
It claimed taxi drivers as a whole were losing out to private hire companies, which are not regulated by the council. There are currently 1260 black cabs, a total which the council hasn't allowed to change for about five years.
In that time the number of private hire vehicles, which the council does not control, has risen sharply to 791.
Garry Thomson, a spokesman for Threemaxblacks, said the company would consider taking its battle to a judicial review.
He said: "We believe this report is contrived. There's no mention of the increase in private hire vehicles.
"That increase is indicative of an unmet demand which is being met by private hire companies. The bottom line is we will have to wait and see if the council approves this.
"We have a meeting planned with the council for October or November.
"But we are looking at the possibility of challenging the council through a judicial review. That could see the power to regulate the industry taken out of the council's hands.
"We believe the chances are we would win."
However, Jim Muldoon, of the Scottish Taxi Federation, dismissed the chances of a legal challenge to the council, if it decides to act on the recommendation of consultancy company Jacobs.
"I don't think the mechanisms for a legal challenge exist," he said.
"To limit the number of taxis the council must prove there is no unmet demand. The only way of doing that is by getting an independent consultancy company in - that's what they have done."
And he said the trade as a whole would welcome the report.
Mr Muldoon added: "The taxi trade is happy with the report. But there are recommendations we must take on board.
"Over the next year or 18 months we, along with the council, should put the mechanisms in place to make sure that if the situation changes we are aware of it.
"At certain times in the evening there is an unmet demand still, such as at weekends, Hogmanay, and during the Festival season."
In compiling the report, Jacobs consulted various groups including pub and nightclub owners.
It said: "Most venues were particularly busy at weekend evenings and suggested that the existing number of both private hire vehicles and taxis are unable to cater for this high demand."
The problem the council faces is that by issuing more licences it will put more cabs on the road at all times rather than just when the demand is greatest.
The report itself found that in many locations during the day cabbies would sit in ranks waiting for passengers, much longer than pedestrians would stand waiting for a taxi.
An increase in licences would exacerbate that situation.
Instead, Mr Muldoon suggested there should be an expansion of Lothian Buses' night bus network.
He said: "I would like to see more night buses on the road, especially during busy periods.
"The city should look to increase bus coverage and by doing so give people more options."
Lothian Buses recently announced that the number of people annually using its night-time service has more than trebled in three years, from 120,000 to 460,000.
Bosses claim the main reason was a decision to change the night bus schedule to mirror the daytime one, on a smaller scale.
And they are already looking to capitalise on their popularity by introducing night bus services between Morningside and Ocean Terminal, and between the East Craigs Centre and Polton Cameron Crescent.
Iain Coupar, of Lothian Buses, said: "We are aware there is an increasing demand. We are constantly responding to it by introducing new services or increasing the frequency of existing ones."
More people may turn to the night buses if the proposed fare hike is approved by the council.
However, one driver said he was pleased to see that the report recognises that in some instances it was cheaper to get a taxi than a bus.
Keith Bell, chairman of the taxi lobby group CABforce, said: "Taxis are cheaper, if there is five of you, than getting a bus."
He said: "CABforce has lobbied for a separate fare for between 1am and 5am, to encourage more drivers to go out between those hours."
The problems associated with dealing with drunks and alcohol-fuelled antisocial behaviour persuade many to work until 1am on a Saturday or Sunday morning and then head home. Mr Bell said: "We proposed a night-time tariff which could operate between 11pm and 5am, or between 1am and 5am. There seems to be support from the public for that idea.
"The feedback I get is that they would be prepared to pay a premium for making sure there are enough taxis to ensure they are able to get home at night."
Mr Muldoon also defended the rise in taxi fares. He said: "This recommendation comes from an independent body and has not been asked for by the taxi trade.
"However, we have to remember that the last increase in fares was two years ago, and a whole range of costs that impact taxis have changed since then.
"For example, fuel has increased by 19 per cent during this period.
"These have been taken into account by the consultants.
"We want to keep fares down, but what is proposed is a very modest increase and I think the public will go along with this.
"Of course, these increases won't come through until February, if at all, and the public will be able to object should they wish to."
http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/index ... 1892962005