Taxi Driver Online

This is mainly council procedural stuff taken by the press from the committee agenda papers. But spot the obvious clanger, repeated four times within three short paragraphs


Taxi fares could rise after review in Argyll and Bute

https://www.helensburghadvertiser.co.uk ... gyll-bute/

TAXI operators in Argyll and Bute are set to be asked for their views on minimum fares as a review of prices looms.

Argyll and Bute Council is required to review the minimum fares for taxis every 18 months, and the process is now due to begin again. Any changes to minimum fares will apply from October.

The last review saw councillors decide in December 2024 that a 10 per cent increase to minimum fares would be applied from April 2025.

A report asking councillors to agree to begin the review will be considered by the authority’s planning, protective services and licensing committee on Wednesday, April 22.

Executive director Douglas Hendry said: “Section 17 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 states that ‘the licensing authority must fix scales for the fares and other charges within 18 months beginning with the date on which the scales came into effect’.

“In terms of the last review the fares came into force on April 22, 2025. The next fares scale will need to come into force in October 2026. Therefore the review process would require to commence in April 2026.

“At the meeting on December 18, 2024 the committee agreed that there be a 10 per cent increase to existing scales and that this will take effect from April 22, 2025.

“In terms of Section 17 of the Act in carrying out a review of taxi fares, the licensing authority must consult with persons or organisations appearing to it to be, or to be representative of, the operators of taxis operating within its area.

“Following the consultation [it must] review the existing scales [and] propose new scales, whether at altered rates or the same rates.”

Mr Hendry added: “Members are invited to agree that the next taxi fare review should commence in order that it can be completed within 18 months as required by the 1982 Act, and agree that the consultation required in terms of the Act will be in writing.”

I mean, the facts are in the opening paragraph of the relevant committee paper, much of which was just copied and pasted into the press article:


https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/moderngo ... 6822&Ver=4

Stuart, don't you know that you can't educate Pork.

_________________
Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related

Another piece in the jigsaw

But, again, the term 'minimum fares' is misused four times

And if they're reporting every baby step like this then this one will run and run...

But really nothing much to see other than talk about the usual poor response to fare consultations.

And wet-behind-the-ears councillors not knowing that. Presumably.


Taxi fare review aims for higher response in Argyll and Bute

https://www.helensburghadvertiser.co.uk ... gyll-bute/

COUNCILLORS want to hear from more taxi operators in Argyll and Bute, after agreeing to start consultation on minimum fares in the area.

The authority is required to review the minimum fares for taxis every 18 months, and the process is now due to begin again. Any changes to minimum fares will apply from October.

The last review saw councillors decide in December 2024 that a 10 per cent increase to minimum fares would be applied from April 2025.

But fewer than 10 per cent of local taxi operators across the area responded as part of the consultation when it took place.

The decision to proceed with the consultation was made by the council’s planning, protective services and licensing committee at its meeting on Wednesday, April 22.

Councillor Gordon Blair (SNP, Cowal) asked: “Can we send out reminder letters to consultees if they do not respond at first?”

Solicitor David Walker responded: “We could. We do write to all operators inviting comments, but I saw from the last review that there was a lower number than expected.”

Councillor Blair then said: “It is important to get the press release out, but also to get a list of who has responded, because very often it is the same taxi drivers complaining who have not responded. We need to ensure we join the dots up.”

Councillor Paul Kennedy (Liberal Democrat, Helensburgh and Lomond South) asked: “Is there any indication from the public about what they think of the fares?”

Mr Walker responded: “The Act (section 17 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982) refers to the consultation with operators.”

Note that the three reported paragraphs go from taxi *drivers* to the public, and then to taxi *operators*.

Which is important, because in actual fact if you're just a driver (and thus not an operator, which is a plateholder up here) then you have no real say in the matter.

So, for example, some of the drivers in St Andrews who are on the rank all the time have no say, while plateholders who are never on the ranks can appeal to the Scottish Traffic Commissioner and the like (although that's further down the line in the procedure than reported here in Argyll and Bute).

As regards the *public* mentioned above, again they can input into the process, but only when the initial fare proposals have been published in the press. Which comes after the initial consultation with taxi plateholders

Another interesting point is that in Scotland, if a PHV has a meter fitted then it must be set at the council rates. But someone with a fleet of PHVs in a mixed HC/PH fleet with meters fitted charging the council rates has no say in the process.

Make it make sense

A rare piece from the Dunoon Observer and Argyllshire Standard. Which seems to combine a web presence with the Isle of Bute News. While the previous pieces written by the same reporter were on the Helensburgh Advertiser's website

Anyway, this is all fairly routine. But at least the repeated misuse of *minimum fares* above has now been corrected

And at least the articles don't try to explain that the flagfall is the maximum minimum fare for hiring a taxi


Proposed taxi fare increase agreed across Argyll

https://argyllbute24.co.uk/proposed-tax ... ss-argyll/

A FIVE per cent increase to maximum taxi fares in Argyll and Bute has been unanimously agreed as a proposal by councillors.

A report invited members of the council’s planning, protective services and licensing (PPSL) committee to review fares as part of a process which requires a new fare structure to be in place by October 22.

The authority’s head of legal and regulatory support will now advertise the proposed changes to tariffs, with responses invited within a month.

Members of the PPSL committee will then receive a report on the feedback received at their meeting in September. The committee held its meeting on Wednesday, June 17.

The council’s current maximum fares are an initial charge of £3.80 for hire between 7am and 10pm, £4.55 for hire between 10pm and 7am, and £5.31 on public holidays, with a subsequent charge of 25p per 176, 150 or 120 yards respectively.

A report to the committee in advance of the meeting said that of 108 operators who were contacted regarding the proposed review, 20 provided a written response.

Of those, 12 requested an increase to maximum fares while eight requested that no increase was made.

Lomond, Lorn, Cowal and Bute were the only areas where any responses were reported as having been submitted.

Councillor Kieron Green (Independent, Oban North and Lorn) said during discussion: “Bearing in mind that we had a 10 per cent increase a year or two ago, but there has been a significant increase in fuel and general inflation, I would be suggesting that looking at the responses, we go for a five per cent increase in fares across the board.”

The committee unanimously agreed, with the proposed changes now to be advertised.