Taxi Driver Online

TAXI FARES UNDER REVIEW


TAXI fares across North Ayrshire will be PEGGED because of hard times.

The only change will be a 50 per cent surcharge if more than five passengers travel in a seven seater cab.

A review of the four complicated fare tariffs may be considered at a future date.

Licensing bosses considered a list of options – some of them suggested by the trade.

Ideas put forward included introducing night times fares as early as 10pm.

Other suggestions tabled at the initial meeting with North Ayrshire Licensing Committee included a reduction in the number of tariffs from four to two and ditching zone charges to allow drivers to pick up anywhere in North Ayrshire.

Another option was lower festive fares between 7pm and midnight on Christmas Eve and 6am to midnight on Boxing Day with similar charges on Hogmanay and January 2.

Christmas Day and New Year’s Day fares and to 6am on Boxing Day and January 2 would remain the same at double the basic rate.

The meeting with the local government committee heard North Ayrshire has one of the most complicated but lowest fares rates in the West of Scotland.

The current mileage rate is £2.88. Comparable rates range from £2.75 in East Ayrshire and Inverclyde to £3.28 in South Ayrshire.

Night time rates range from £2.89 in Inverclyde £4.28 in South Ayrshire with North Ayrshire coming in at £3.20.

Licensing officials said it was difficult to provide an overall fares comparison because of the current North Ayrshire system.

Council solicitor Ian Mackay told the committee: “It is suggested North Ayrshire adopts a simpler fare scale with a single basic tariff and the other tariffs replaced by fixed charges or increases like 50 per cent and 100 per cent.”

The meeting agreed to freeze fares because of the dire economic climate.

One driver told the Irvine Herald: “We’re facing hard times with dearer insurance, fuel and maintenance costs but our passengers are being hit all round.

“I suppose we all have to tighten our belts.”


http://www.irvineherald.co.uk/ayrshire- ... -30289737/

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I'm in South Ayrshire and don't recognise that figure.

We are £2.80 at Flagfall, which includes the first 3/4 mile, then £1.90 per mile thereafter.

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Don't dream it ~ Be it.

I think they are quoting the figure for 1 mile which would be £2.80 + 1/4 of £1.90 which would come to £3.275.

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Grandad,

I agree, but they are quoting it as if it were the charge for every mile. Not just the first mile.

Had they qualified that, I would not have posted.

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Don't dream it ~ Be it.