West Lothian is set to see a significant rise in taxi fares, with the largest proposed increase being 9.5%, just in time for the Christmas season.
If approved, the hike could add over £4 to a 10-mile journey during the festive period.
West Lothian Council, which is required to review fares every 18 months, recently agreed to the changes during a council Executive meeting. The proposal was put forward by the West Lothian Taxi Owners Association (TOA) and received 12 votes, while a separate proposal from the West Lothian Association of Taxi Owners (WLAOTO) Fellowship received none.
The TOA’s proposal, which is now moving forward, includes a rise in rates across all tariffs.
A Tariff 1 mile-long journey will increase from £4.80 to £5.20, an 8.3% increase. A five-mile Tariff 1 journey will go from £12.80 to £14, and a 10-mile journey will rise from £22.80 to £25.
Other charges, such as the £40 clean-up fee for soiled cabs, are expected to remain unchanged, despite some calls for an increase to £60.
The new fare table will be advertised for public comment. If there are no appeals, the increases will take effect at the end of November.
The money is specifically earmarked for installing on-street charge points in both urban and rural areas, with a focus on residents who lack off-street parking.
The new rules, aimed at increasing safety and encouraging alternative transport, are not currently enforceable because the council has not yet installed the necessary road signs.
Swindon has launched a multi-agency effort to enhance public safety at night, introducing taxi marshals, extra police patrols, and a new public spaces protection order.
The move comes after the council successfully rolled out CCTV in hackney carriages, funded by a £173,500 grant from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.
According to police, the victim was approached by the three youths, who allegedly brandished weapons before stealing his wallet.
The association argues that the presence of these drivers, who are licensed outside the area, creates an "unfair and unsafe environment" for both local drivers and passengers.
Passengers of a taxi were rescued by firefighters using specialised equipment following a two-car crash in the early hours of Sunday morning, 31 August, in the Holbrooks area of Coventry.
The incident took place around 9.30pm on Saturday, August 30, on Victoria Street when an intoxicated man entered the parked Uber and demanded to be driven.
Waqas Pervez, 35, has had his appeal denied after his licence was revoked for attempting an illegal pickup in Manchester.
Civic licensing officer Donna Scobie presented the figures to the South Ayrshire Council’s Regulatory Panel, showing a jump in taxi failures from 8% to 36%.
Jordan Bull, 31, has been charged in connection with the incident that occurred on February 16.
The operation, which took place on July 12, was initiated in response to "concerns in relation to the volume of PH and HCVs licensed by other authorities that are working in the town centre
A disciplinary panel found Councillor Simon Boone called the driver, David Edwards, “very childish and unprofessional” and mentioned his membership on CWAC’s licensing committee, which is responsible for granting taxi li
The incident occurred at approximately 9:55pm on Union Road, near Farnborough Main railway station.
A taxi driver, Jamie Westbury, who runs an airport transfer company, described the scene as "manic."
Hackney carriage fares in Sefton are set to be reviewed as representatives of the taxi trade push for increases to combat "rising inflation, running costs and significant driver shortages."
A former nurse, Victoria Foster, 31, was fined £20 by magistrates after she admitted to a charge of making off without payment for a £30 taxi fare.
In response the ?Scottish Private Hire Association - SPHA have issued the following statement...
An email sent to drivers on August 25, reminded them they must present a "professional image" at all times, cracking down on concerns some have been working in "football attire," shorts, and tracksuits.
Paige Harvey, 30, was accused of spitting on the driver, pushing him, and using "horrible, racist language" after a night out in Newcastle.