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Glasgow Times
21-06-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Changes to taxi fare costs likely to go ahead in Glasgow
Glasgow's licensing committee has agreed to propose a 3.32% increase to the city's taxi fare scale, following an independent review. It would see the minimum charge flag fall rise from £4.40 to £4.50 and the soiling charge lifted from £46 to £47.50. The changes will now be open to representations, which would be reported back to the committee. Some trade representatives disagreed with the review's findings that insurance costs have decreased, saying drivers are reporting rises. At a licensing meeting on Wednesday, the trade pushed for a more detailed 'bottom-up' review to be carried out. Cllr Alex Wilson, SNP, the licensing committee chairman, said: 'A bottom-up review would be a great thing for us going forward, certainly there are more changes to the dynamics of what is happening out there. READ MORE: Glasgow's new tourist tax approved - here's how much visitors will be charged 'I think we need to find out exactly how that is going to impact the trade.' The review of the taxi fare scales has been carried out by Dr James Cooper. Changes were recommended after the review concluded the 'costs of operating a tax in Glasgow, the production costs, have increased'. Under the plans, the flag fall distance and time would change from 889 yards to 880 yards and 167 seconds to 165 seconds. Each additional increment is set to change from a distance not exceeding 179 yards to a distance not exceeding 174 yards and the time changed from 38 seconds to 37 seconds. However, the distance and time charge would remain at an increment of 30p. The additional charge for hires after 9pm and before 6am is expected to remain at £1.50 and the extra charge for hires between 9pm on December 24 and 6am on December 27 and 9pm on December 31 and 6am on January 3 is to stay at £2.70. Glasgow Taxi Owners Federation wants to see extra charges for additional passengers, beyond two, and an increased night charge of £2 rather than £1.50 to 'encourage night working'. It also proposed an alternative tariff which it said would be cheaper for customers. Dr Cooper said there was 'certainly a point of discussion around the structure of the tariff' which could be covered by a bottom-up review in future. READ MORE: Group of 'neo-Nazis' kicked out of full council meeting Glasgow Taxis said it had carried out work around demand and usage in the city and would like an opportunity to produce its evidence. Dr Cooper's report had noted that 'insurance costs have declined over the period of review' but this 'follows a significant increase in the previous period'. A representative from Unite the union was unable to attend the meeting, but, in a submission to the committee, it stated members had been surveyed and 'not one has reported a reduction' in insurance costs, with an average increase of around 8% instead. The union also said radio dispatch costs have increased, and high new vehicle costs, plus the removal of some grants, are 'creating financial barriers'. It added the 'council list of approved vehicles needs to be reviewed, as the dependence on local suppliers is preventing competitiveness, as more cost-effective vehicles are now available across the UK'.
Glasgow Times
18-06-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Here's how much taxi fares in Glasgow could be set to rise
An independent review of the city's taxi fares has proposed a 3.32% increase, with the minimum charge flag fall set to rise from £4.40 to £4.50. Some trade representatives want to see a higher night charge and extra charges when more than two people are travelling. They also disagree with the review's findings that insurance costs have decreased, saying drivers are reporting rises. The changes have been recommended after the review concluded the 'costs of operating a tax in Glasgow, the production costs, have increased'. Under the proposals, the flag fall distance and time would change from 889 yards to 880 yards and 167 seconds to 165 seconds. READ MORE: Man admits murdering 21-year-old partner Phoenix Spencer Horn in East Kilbride Each additional increment could change from a distance not exceeding 179 yards to a distance not exceeding 174 yards and the time changed from 38 seconds to 37 seconds. However, the distance and time charge would remain at an increment of 30p. It is recommended the soiling charge is lifted from £46 to £47. The additional charge for hires after 9pm and before 6am would remain at £1.50 and the extra charge for hires between 9pm on December 24 and 6am on December 27 and 9pm on December 31 and 6am on January 3 would stay at £2.70 if councillors accept the recommendations on Wednesday. The review of the taxi fare scales has been carried out by Dr James Cooper. The last review proposed an increase of 9.72%, which came into effect in September last year. Glasgow Taxi Owners Federation wants to see extra charges for additional passengers, beyond two, and an increased night charge of £2 rather than £1.50 to 'encourage night working'. It also disputes some of the figures used by Dr Cooper in his calculations, including for insurance, radio dispatch and vehicle purchases. READ MORE: UK travel operator 'goes bust' as customers face cancelled holidays Dr Cooper's report notes that 'insurance costs have declined over the period of review' but this 'follows a significant increase in the previous period'. However, Unite the union Glasgow cab section has said it has surveyed members and 'not one has reported a reduction' in insurance costs, with an average increase of around 8% instead. The union also said radio dispatch costs have increased, and high new vehicle costs, plus the removal of some grants, are 'creating financial barriers'. It added the 'council list of approved vehicles needs to be reviewed, as the dependence on local suppliers is preventing competitiveness, as more cost-effective vehicles are now available across the UK'. Unite called for clarity over previous charges to the night charge and Christmas/New Year charge, which it said has caused 'confusion'. It questioned whether the £2.70 extra Christmas/New Year rate is on top of the current £1.50 night rate. A council report states Glasgow Taxis believes the review is 'in line with their thinking and are satisfied that it represents a true picture of the trade'. All trade bodies will have an opportunity to address the licensing committee on Wednesday before any decisions are made.
STV News
17-06-2025
- Automotive
- STV News
Taxi fares increase proposed as drivers call for higher night charges
Glasgow taxi fares could rise by over 3% while the soiling charge—paid when a car needs to be taken off the road for cleaning—is also set to go up. An independent review of the city's taxi fares has proposed a 3.32% increase, with the minimum charge flag fall set to rise from £4.40 to £4.50. Some trade representatives want a higher night charge and extra charges when more than two people travel. They also disagree with the review's findings that insurance costs have decreased, saying drivers are reporting rises. The changes were recommended after the review concluded that the 'costs of operating a tax in Glasgow, the production costs, have increased.' Under the proposals, the flag fall distance and time would change from 889 yards to 880 yards and 167 seconds to 165 seconds. Each additional increment could change from a distance not exceeding 179 yards to a distance not exceeding 174 yards and the time changed from 38 seconds to 37 seconds. However, the distance and time charge would remain at an increment of 30p. It is recommended the soiling charge is lifted from £46 to £47. The additional charge for hires after 9pm and before 6am would remain at £1.50 and the extra charge for hires between 9pm on December 24 and 6am on December 27 and 9pm on December 31 and 6am on January 3 would stay at £2.70 if councillors accept the recommendations on Wednesday. The review of the taxi fare scales has been carried out by Dr James Cooper. The last review proposed an increase of 9.72%, which came into effect in September last year. Glasgow Taxi Owners Federation wants extra charges for additional passengers, beyond two, and an increased night charge of £2 rather than £1.50 to 'encourage night working'. It also disputes some of the figures used by Dr Cooper in his calculations, including for insurance, radio dispatch and vehicle purchases. Dr Cooper's report notes that 'insurance costs have declined over the period of review' but this 'follows a significant increase in the previous period'. However, Unite the union Glasgow cab section has said it has surveyed members and 'not one has reported a reduction' in insurance costs, with an average increase of around 8% instead. The union also said radio dispatch costs have increased, and high new vehicle costs, plus the removal of some grants, are 'creating financial barriers'. It added: 'The council list of approved vehicles needs to be reviewed, as the dependence on local suppliers is preventing competitiveness, as more cost-effective vehicles are now available across the UK'. Unite called for clarity over previous charges to the night and Christmas/New Year charges, which it said has caused 'confusion'. It questioned whether the £2.70 extra Christmas/New Year rate is on top of the current £1.50 night rate. A council report stated Glasgow Taxis believes the review is 'in line with their thinking and are satisfied that it represents a true picture of the trade'. All trade bodies will be able to address the licensing committee on Wednesday before making any decisions. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Glasgow Times
03-06-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
'Don't blame us': Taxis hit back in Glasgow city centre row
A consultation on whether to lift the cap on the provision of taxis and private hire cars has just closed, with some in the nighttime economy, led by Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, pushing for more cars to be allowed. They have blamed a lack of availability of taxis and private hire cars as a reason why fewer people are coming to the city centre in the evenings and weekends. READ NEXT:'Breaking point': Glasgow police dealing with hundreds of rapes and sex crimes The cap on taxis just now is 1420 and for private hire cars 3450. The private hire market is at the capacity limit, while there are 1227 taxis operating. Uber also claimed there are thousands of hires going unmet and wants the cap lifted to allow it to put more cars and drivers on the road. (Image: Newsquest) Glasgow Taxis, however, the city's established taxi organisation, has hit back at both claims and said lifting the cap would only see existing drivers struggle to earn a living. In its submission to the council, it pointed to a Chamber of Commerce study that showed overall safety, cleanliness, and the availability of alternative entertainment options affected people's decisions on visiting the city centre. It stated: 'In that survey, 80% of city centre visitors (and 82% of non-visitors) expressed a desire for improved late-night train service, and extended operating hours for trains and buses were the most cited improvement that would encourage more visits.' It added: 'Taxis and Private Hire often fill the gap created by limited late-night public transport, rather than being the first-choice mode for most people leaving the city centre.' READ NEXT:Will the M8 Woodside viaduct repair work be complete next year? (Image: Newsquest) The taxi firm pointed to wider behavioural changes that have led to fewer people visiting the city centre. It said: 'The after-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, have changed many individuals' habits. 'There is evidence of an emerging preference for different social patterns. For example, some people now go out earlier and return home before midnight, and a growing portion of, especially younger adults, are abstaining from alcohol-focused nightlife.' On claims of not enough taxis, it said other factors are the cause of any long waits. Glasgow Taxis carried out a rank survey at Gordon Street on four Saturdays this year, January 25, February 1, 15 and 22 between 21.30 and 03:00. It found, across the four nights, the rank handled between 530–570 taxis and 900–1,050 passengers over the roughly five and a half hour observation period. READ NEXT:Does Glasgow have enough taxis and private hire cars? READ NEXT: Uber make the case for more private hire cars in Glasgow The report stated: 'At no time was there an absence of taxis available at or near the rank. 'Even during the periods when a passenger queue formed, there were taxis present on the rank or waiting in the feeder lane on Hope Street. 'The instances of passenger waiting were not due to a lack of taxis in the vicinity, but rather the speed at which those taxis could be processed and loaded.' The report said more cabs would not have made a difference to waiting times. It found delays were due to poor traffic management around the rank, for example, clogged lanes preventing taxis from moving up, delays due to some drivers not accepting card payment - leading passengers to skip the first taxi in line-, fare negotiations between drivers and groups of passengers, and occasional instances of taxi driver misconduct- like leaving the rank out-of-turn. The conclusion reached was: 'Adding more taxis beyond the numbers already in circulation would likely not have increased the number of trips provided in those hours, because the rank and road constraints were the governing factor.' Instead of simply increasing numbers, Glasgow Taxis recommended some steps to improve the service. It wants improved ranks and enforcement of parking and traffic around ranks. It called for mandatory car payment options and taxis to be included in wider public transport improvements It also asked for consideration of night shift only licences to address concerns about specific times. Dougie McPherson, chair of Glasgow Taxis, said: 'We are not in step with some in the city on this issue. 'The struggles I the night time economy are affected by a lot of other factors, like working from home, behavioural changes, people staying in the local areas, city centre parking charges, yet the blame is being laid at the door of the taxi trade.' He said it was 'the path of least resistance' to release the cap and let the provision of cars find its own level. Mr McPherson added: 'It is unsustainable to cater only for peaks.' He said Uber is the only supplier in favour of removing the cap, adding: 'They fight against regulation wherever it exists.' Drivers, he said, were struggling to make a living on the digital platform. Mr McPherson said: 'We are the only city with a cap. That doesn't mean we are wrong to have a cap.' He concluded: 'Late night trains and buses are poor and the underground goes off early. 'To lay this at the door of the taxis and private hires is misguided.' The council's Licensing and Regulatory Committee will now decide whether to keep the cap on the number of vehicles that can be licensed.
