Taxi fares in Moray could rise by 10%
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Moray Council could raise taxi fares by 10% before Christmas.
The proposed increase will go out for consultation before a final decision is agreed in November.
If that happens, taxi meters will be recalibrated on December 14.
Members of the licensing committee voted by six to three to also include a rise in the charge for fouling a cab from £120 to £200 at their meeting earlier today.
There were three abstentions.
At the moment the most that can be charged for a standard five-mile taxi journey within Moray is £15.60.
That rises to £16.60 for a late night booking, £17.30 on bank holidays and £29.85 over the festive period.
If the 10% rise is agreed fares will go up to £17.16, £18.26, £19.03 and £32.84 respectively.
Councillor Paul McBain (Forres, Conservative), the committee's chairman, expressed disappointment at the low response to an informal consultation held with taxi operators over six weeks during the summer.
He said: "We keep going on about consulting with the public, but of the 94 taxi operators we have four people put in their suggestions.
"I find that very very disappointing indeed”.
Cllr Donald Gatt (Keith and Cullen, Conservative) put forward a motion to raise the maximum charge across the board by 10%.
He said: "The last increase was in 2018, so while people can charge less than the maximum, the maximum needs to be at a reasonable level bearing in mind the level of CPI (consumer price index) inflation of 10.1%.
"Fife Council has increased their taxi charges by 12.5%.
"I think it’s a given that an increase has to be made to be fair to the taxi businesses.
"A freeze, if we were to do that, would just be putting costs somewhere else and some of them may well go to the wall.
"If they’ve got the flexibility of a maximum they can charge less."
The council is obliged to review taxi charging every 18 months with the last increase coming in four years ago.
Cllr Theresa Coull (Keith and Cullen, SNP) agreed with the 10% rise, and also proposed an increase in the fouling charge by £80 to £200.
She said: "Fuel and running costs have increased so much, especially as there’s not been an increase in fares since 2018.
"It’s horrendous if your car’s soiled and you can’t use it for the rest of the night or the duration of the day until it's cleared up."
Cllr John Divers (Elgin South, Labour) agreed there should be an increase, but asked it be made clear any rise would be the most taxi operators could charge.
He said: "It needs to be emphasised this is the maximum increase.
"They don’t have to charge that.
"Because, believe you me, we as a licensing committee will get the blame from the taxi operators that we’ve increased it to this.
"I’ve seen it time and time again."
Results from the consultation will go back to committee in November for a final decision.
