
Taxi tariffs in the Shetland Islands are set to increase for the first time since 2022, with proposed rises across base fares, mileage, and cleaning charges.
The move is being driven by "significant increases in the cost of vehicles and maintenance, fuel and the cost of living," according to a Shetland Islands Council (SIC) report.
The proposed changes, which follow a consultation with taxi licensees, include several key increases:
Base Fares: The daytime base fare (6am to 10pm) is proposed to rise by 50p, moving from £4.50 to £5. The overnight base fare would also increase by 50p, from £5 to £5.50.
Mileage: The cost per mile after the initial 0.7 miles could see a 40p increase.
Waiting Charge: The waiting charge is set to rise by 15p per minute or £9 per hour.
Cleaning Charge: A "fairly sizeable proposed rise" is planned for the cleaning charge if a vehicle is soiled by a passenger, jumping from £60 to £80.
The last tariff increase took place in October 2024, despite a legal requirement to review tariffs every 18 months.
The latest proposal was requested following a "collaboration between members of the taxi sector," according to a council report, which included one written representation received by the SIC.
The report to the SIC’s policy and resources committee detailed how the new rates compare to other areas in Scotland. It stated that under the proposed changes, the tariff for a two-mile journey during the standard day rate (Rate One) would be £8.64, which is "an increase of £1.02 on the current tariff."
Benchmarking this against other authorities, the report concluded: "This would be on a par with East Ayrshire at £8.50and below Midlothian at £8.90, Orkney at £9.00, Edinburgh at £9.00 and Glasgow at £9.30 as compared with Highland at £7.10, and the Western Isles at £7.00."
The proposed taxi tariffs will now be published for a period of public consultation, with the final rates potentially being fixed on 20 March.

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