Councillors back a freeze on taxi faresThere will almost certainly be no increase in charges for Borders taxi users in the coming year.
On Tuesday, the council’s executive, which licenses the region’s 355 taxis, voted to keep fares at current levels.
In so doing, councillors rejected a recommendation from their own officers that the “flag rate” – the amount shown on the meter at the start of each journey – should be increased by 7 per cent from December 1.
A report from transport management team leader Tim Stephenson revealed that when this proposal was put out to the trade in September, only one taxi business responded with a letter. And at four consultation meetings set up by the council in Galashiels, Peebles, Hawick and Duns, a total of just nine operators attended.
That apparent indifference was cited by SBC leader David Parker as he moved for no change in current fare levels.
After this was endorsed with a 10-3 vote, he told The Southern: “The response from the industry, apart from one operator who challenged the whole formula for fare setting, has been negligible
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http://www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk/ne ... -1-3602864