Taxi Driver Online

Not very exciting, but this is one of those articles by a Local Government Reporting Service reporter, which seems to be a shared service used by several different outlets (and I think the BBC run the service).

But it's interesting how one outlet headlines the article compared to two others that are carrying it, and how this sets the tone for the article as whole. But the articles contain a lot of duplication, so it's mainly the headlines that change fundamentally (it's those sub-editors again ).

So here are two of the headlines (and straplines), and not difficult to see how they differ in tone to the third headline at the bottom.

And the first one broadly favours the trade, because it highlights that there's been no fare uplift for six years (on the other hand, the strapline mentions the hike in the soiling fee, plus new airport charges).

Second one a bit more neutral, although the strapline doesn't really favour the trade, because it says that the rises are 'up to 20%'. (On a purely journalistic note, the strapline also doesn't read too well to me, because it largely repeats the headline rather than stating just new information.)

Third headline obviously the most unfavourable to the trade. (Note also that the third article doesn't have a strapline as such, and just launches straight into the text of the article.)

(And, of course, my thread title is different still, because it's aimed at the trade and trying to make it sound slightly more interesting with that in mind. Note also that I use the word 'hike' in relation to the soiling fee, purely because it's gone up 150% from £20 to £50. But, of course, a £50 sickie fee isn't huge at all in national terms.)


Taxi fares in Midlothian to go up for first time in six years

https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/ed ... p-24887897

The clean up charge for being sick in the back of a taxi will more than double from £20 to £50 while passengers will also be told to pay airport drop off fees themselves under new tariff table


Midlothian taxi fare increases given green light

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/ ... ht-3612305

Taxi fares increases of up to 20 per cent have been given the green light to go out for public consultation by Midlothian councillors.


Taxi fares to go up despite public opposition

https://www.midlothianview.com/news/tax ... pposition/

Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Marie Sharp

Taxi fares increases of up to 20% have been approved by Midlothian councillors amid fears rising fuel costs could put them out of business.

Midlothian Councillors said new tariffs, which were put out for public consultation over the summer, should go ahead despite two-third of residents who responded opposing the move.

A meeting of the council’s general purposes committee was told responses from people in the trade were overwhelmingly for the raise – the first increase in six years.

And councillors said that while they sympathised with members of the public who did not want to see fares increase, they had to balance that with the need for taxi drivers to afford to work as petrol and diesel prices remain high.

The new tariffs include a festive starting rate of £4.50 and the standard daytime starting rate increasing to £3.

It will also see the charge to customers who are sick in a cab more than double from £20 to a £50 ‘cleaning fee’.

And it includes an additional clause which states “It will be the responsibility of the passenger(s) to meet and charges imposed by an airport for waiting, setting down and picking up”.

The addition of the airport clause comes as it has been reported Scottish airport drop off fees have doubled over the last three years.

The new tariffs replace current charges which were set up in 2016 and charged a starting point of £2.80 during weekdays and £3.20 at weekends and overnight with a £3.80 daytime charge over Christmas holidays and £4 weekend night time charge during the same period.

The new tariffs will see a weekday starting rate of £3, evening and weekend rates increase to £3.80 and all festive trips given a starting rate of £4.50.

Distance/waiting times will also go up from 20p to 25p during the year and 35p to 40p over the festive period.

During the virtual meeting Councillor Russell Imrie voiced concern about the timing of the increase and asked if it could be delayed six months

He told the meeting: “Taxi drivers have got to earn a living but I am just worried that if the general public are finding it harder and harder every day that we should be doing everything we can to mitigate that.”

However fellow councillors argued that a balance needed to be found and taxi drivers were also in need of immediate help.

Council leader Councillor Kelly Parry said: “If we don’t do something we will lose taxi drivers altogether and it is a lifeline for older residents and those in rural areas who do not have access to a bus service or a car.”

Councillors unanimously agreed to approve the increase in taxi fares with a pledge to review the situation in six months time.

Pretty unlikely many people responded, though, so I'd guess the proportion stated won't be particularly representative.


Obvious clanger in there, and it's repeated in both outlets that contain this paragraph. But presumably 'and' should read 'any'.

Anyway, that looks like a different and more flexible approach to the likes of Edinburgh, which I think specifies actual airport charges on the card. Which obviously isn't a good idea in view of the increasing complexity of these things, and clearly there will always be a lag on the tariff card after any increase in the airport's charges.

But the Midlothian approach obviously allows for more flexibility