Taxi Driver Online

You want to raise fares? Then get out on the road

GLASGOW'S cabbies have been told to get out on the streets more if they want a proposed hike in taxi fares to go ahead. The firm which represents most of the city's black cabs wants to up basic tariffs by around 4% before Christmas.

Glasgow Taxis is also trying to increase the 'flag down' fare from £1.80 to £2, although the time and distance covered for the minimum fare will rise slightly. Other proposals include increasing the average cost of one, two or three-mile journeys by either 20p or 40p, depending on exact number of yards or time in vehicle.

Drivers say they need the increase in earnings to meet the costs of new vehicles and the rising price of diesel. But a senior councillor told representatives of Glasgow Taxis their trade was run "to suit the provider and not the public". Councillor Gordon Macdiarmid criticised the taxi trade, which he said needed to have more cabs on the streets to help clear the city centre of revellers at weekends.

And he said despite giving taxi drivers the right to charge an extra £2 after 12.30am at weekends, the evidence was that the late-night wait for a taxi in the city centre was as bad as ever. Mr Macdiarmid told stunned taxi bosses: "You need to get out into the streets. The evidence of our own eyes is that there is a huge unmet demand. "What we're discussing here with fare increases is only for the supplier and not the consumer."

Glasgow Taxis' lawyer Tom McEntagart said yesterday's licensing committee meeting was not the platform to discuss the volume of taxis in the city centre. But he added: "A recent survey does not indicate an unmet demand." The proposed increase now goes to public consultation. A decision on the new fares is expected in just over a month.

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IDFIMH

A recent SUD and no demand, funny that eh.

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

Funny how the SUD survey missed all the unmet demand the senior councillor sees all the time.

So much for councils doing their own thing.

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IDFIMH

Was in negotiation recently for a plate, agreed price etc but then the guy got a better offer a couple of days down the line.

I was gutted at the time but how releived am I now.

If I apply for a new plate what is the chances it will get approved given the details above after all the OFT said peak times should be included in surveys and now a councillor is calling for more taxi's.......what do you think guys?.

You'll have a struggle, there seems little doubt about that.

It remains to be seen whether the DfT's advice regarding the inclusion of peak times will be adopted, and thereafter whether it will be adopted as the law of the land.

How much are plates in Glasgow?

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

Plates 25,000 to 30,000

Plates are way more than that, you are looking at £35 - £37K.

pl;ates have gone down from £45,000 to £40,000 down here.
does someone know something?