Taxi Driver Online

Misleading headline alert, since the £10 figure is for T2

If they're not going to use the T1 figure, why not use T4, or whatever - it would make for a more dramatic headline

(To be fair, T2 does apply from 6 to 6, so it's a good bit earlier than most. And that's just on weekdays. I think there's some sort of fixed weekend premium, but that's not mentioned below), so to that extent the figures are actually a bit higher on weekend T2 than stated below.)

Anyway, Edinburgh currently 142 on the PHTM tables at £7.00 for the two-mile run, but if this rise to £8.40 goes through that should catapult them up to about equal 13th

And by 'card readers to be probed', I mean the legality making them mandatory, which is covered briefly near the end. Recall that last time round Edinburgh Unite were complaining that they weren't compulsory, and that was an embarrassment for the trade, blah, blah.


Edinburgh taxi fares to rise by 20%, with a two-mile trip set to cost almost £10

https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/ed ... 0-26172415

The fare increase was approved after a report found drivers were struggling to cope with rising inflation.

Taxi fares in Edinburgh will increase by up to 20 per cent to keep up with inflation and the rising cost of running a vehicle, the council has confirmed.

Councillors have agreed to the price hike, which would not impact private hire vehicles.

It comes after a review, carried out by consultants Jacobs on behalf of Edinburgh City Council, recommended raising the maximum fare cap in light of a 14.2% increase in inflation.

A report said engagement with local cab firms found that since the last review the running costs associated with operating a taxi had also "significantly increased".

As a result, the maximum fare from Monday to Friday will rise by 20 per cent.

In practice, this means the most a cabbie will be able to charge for a two-mile journey in Edinburgh from 6am to 6pm on weekdays (tariff 1) will increase from £7 to £8.40.

The maximum fare for a two-mile trip from 6pm to 6am on weekdays (tariff 2) will rise from £8 to £9.60.

Meanwhile a 15 per cent increase has been applied to tariffs 3 and 4 which cover the Christmas and new year period.

Tariff 3 is Monday to Friday 6am to 6pm over Christmas and New Year, and the increase will see the maximum charge for a two mile journey going from £9.25 to £10.63.

Tariff 4 is operational all day on Christmas Day and New Years Day, with the change meaning the maximum charge for two mile journey will rise from £11.75 to £13.50.

The changes were unanimously approved by the council's regulatory committee on Monday (February 6). The price hike is expected to come into force later this year, though no official date has yet been set.

A report said: "The second stage of the process requires that the proposed fare scale be advertised for a period of not less than one month, to allow for representations. Following this, a further report will be brought back to committee for consideration, and if appropriate, approval.

"The fare structure will have a direct impact on residents or visitors to the city using a taxi.

"If the taxi trade has a concern about the Council’s decision on the new fare scales, taxi licence holders may appeal that decision individually or as a group, including any decision not to implement an increase in the fare scales."

Jacobs also recommended following consultation with the trade that card payment machines are made mandatory in all taxis, however the report noted the council does not have the power to do this.

It added: "It unclear whether the Council legally has the power to require the acceptance of card payments as a condition of licence and if committee decides to consider such a condition, then a full consultation process would be required prior to doing so, and also evidence for the need to impose such a condition.

Same evidence as everywhere else that's done it, presumably, especially for a 'world city' like Edinburgh

But the legality question is interesting, and offhand I don't know why Scotland would be any different from England in that regard.

But was actually just thinking about this and Edinburgh last night, and don't think any Scottish councils have actually made them mandatory yet. So it may be a legal issue, or maybe it just needs one to start the ball rolling...


Except that the PHVs in Edinburgh tend to have meters fitted, and in law they're supposed to show the council HC tariff.

But recall a few years ago a big hoohah when one of the PH operators wanted to set their meters to show discounted fares, and there was a big discussion about the legalities etc, and in the end I think they were allowed to.

On the other hand, I think the PH offices have stopped discounting so much because of the driver shortage and inflationary pressures etc, so who knows? And not sure how Uber fits in to it all in terms of virtual/pseudo meters and surge pricing etc

Actually, I think the additional weekend late night party tariff premium was just one proposal a few years ago.

In fact, it looks like T2 applies all weekend, from 6pm on Friday to 6am Monday

So although the headline refers to T2 rather than T1, and to that extent might be considered misleading, T2 actually applies for more of the normal week than T1. To that extent the headline isn't misleading



https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/ ... ember-2021

What is there obsession with card readers, If the operator wants one fine but they shouldnt be coerced into having one.....Cash is there for a reason.

The Authorities adversion to cash is simply because they want to know where money is at all time, it's part of their drive to create a totalitarian state and to make us all subservient to keep us all in check easier so they can impose their will on us on whatever and whenever they want.

Maybe they are not sure whether to apply the requirement to drivers or to vehicles.

As for the recommendation to consult on the matter, well isn't that merely a reflection of what the council already has a legal duty to do?

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IDFIMH

I understand your point, but the problem the cab trade has in many, if not all, areas is that drivers are using the 'haven't got a card reader' excuse to cherry-pick rank work.

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IDFIMH

I saw a news story the other day which stated that the government are planning to adopt e currency and abolish cash within 10 years.

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Quite apart from the cherry-picking argument, the thinking seems to be that most of the trade have come into line with what customers want, but there will always be the odd few who don't want to adopt and prefer to be stuck in the past.

Which, because of the nature of the taxi rank scenario, is regarded as anti-consumer, and just causes problems at the rank. For example, the car in pole may genuinely not have a reader, but the car behind might not want to take a half-mile run because they regard it as getting it out of turn, and the customers don't like it because they end up being shoved from pillar to post on the rank.

And, to that extent, that's maybe why mandatory card readers isn't applied so much to private hire, because that market is regarded as more about customer choice.

Don't know how the drivers in the big cities manage without a reader, to be honest. I was quite a late adopter, because maybe five or six years ago the punters who asked to pay by card would either have cash as an alternative, or I'd just have to wait another wee while for a cash job.

Now, the expectation from punters (particularly students) is that we will accept cards, and although a lot of them ask in advance, a lot don't. And, particularly at this time of year, when it's almost all student runs at times, some days I think I'd be tight to get a job at all without a card reader

Ah, yes, I'd forgotten about that angle. But got the impression that it was legality per se that was disputed, and not whether it would be applicable to vehicles or drivers. So to that extent can't really see the differenc between up here and down there


Aye, just the usual ticking of the boxes, stating the obvious, puffing the whole thing out, blah, blah.

All helps justifying the big fat fees