Even by the standards of the most routine of fare review articles, this very definitely represents a slow news day
Huge, mainly rural area, with few large settlements, I'd guess. So probably little scope for a united front from the trade, which may explains the limited response to the consultation. Then again, figures like that are probably about the norm for stuff like this...
Spot the deliberate mistake, though - I mean, T3 is always going to be that bit higher, but this one's off the scale
(And usual Scottish caveat - an operator is a plateholder up here
)Argyll and Bute maximum taxi fares up for consideration
https://www.helensburghadvertiser.co.uk ... ideration/
FEWER than 10 per cent of taxi operators in Argyll and Bute responded to a consultation by the council on maximum fares, a report has revealed.
The authority went out to consultation from October 24 to December 2, seeking operators’ views on whether maximum fares should increase in the area.
But only eight out of 101 operators across the area responded, with seven of them requesting an increase to the highest possible tariff.
Councillors will now be invited to review the area’s fare scales and propose when new scales will come into effect. They are also asked to authorise officers to advertise the proposed fares and invite responses.
A report will then come back to the council’s planning, protective services and licensing committee on Wednesday, March 19.
The current report will be considered by the same committee at its meeting on Wednesday, December 18.
Currently, tariff one (7am-10pm) is £3.45 for the first 860 yards, with an additional 23p, for every 176 yards. Tariff two (10pm-7am) is £4.14 with an additional 23p per 150 yards, and tariff three (public holidays) is £483 with an additional 23p per 120 yards.
None of the operators who responded are identified in the report, other than where they are based.
One response was received from the Lorn area, suggesting that starting tariffs should increase by about 10 per cent.
Two responses were received from the Cowal area, supporting an increase of 10 per cent to the initial charge and 17 per cent to the subsequent charge.
Three responses came from the Lomond area, with two suggesting an increase while one said that the fares should remain the same.
One response from Bute supported an increase of tariff one to £4, while another from the island did not specify an increase. There were no responses received at all from the Mid Argyll or Kintyre areas.
Executive director Douglas Hendry said: “Members are now required to review the matter of taxi fares.
“Members are invited to consider whether they wish to accept the general consensus from the eight written responses received whereby seven are requesting an increase to the fares and one is requesting no increase to the fares be made.
“If members are minded to propose an increase in fares they require to detail the proposed new scales.
“They may wish to reaffirm the current scale of maximum fares previously reviewed by the council on June 21, 2023 which came into force [on] October 22, 2023 whereby members agreed for fares to remain the same.
“A previous review undertaken in 2021/22 agreed to increase fares by 15 per cent. This decision took effect from April 22, 2022.
“Members further require to propose a date of which the proposed fares are to come into effect. It is recommended that this be April 22."
, but when PHTM (authors of the high-profile tariff tables) does that you'd think they'd at least correct the obvious error with the T3 flagfall 