FAULTY TARIFF: Traffic Commissioner halts new Midlothian taxi fare proposal after operators appeal
- Perry Richardson
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
Midlothian Council’s new taxi tariff plans have been suspended following an appeal by local operators to the Traffic Commissioner.
Members of the General Purposes Committee met on 4 November to address an error discovered after the new tariffs were approved in September, but were informed that the matter was now out of their hands.
Derek Oliver, Chief Officer Place, told councillors that an appeal had been lodged by members of the taxi trade. He said: “There has been an appeal submitted to the Traffic Commissioner from the taxi core with regards to the new tariffs set by Midlothian Council. The Traffic Commissioner has notified us that it is in effect suspending the fare scale as published by the council.”
The issue centres on an unintentional change in the council’s agreed tariff. The new table of fares, due to take effect on 11 November, mistakenly doubled the period of “additional waiting time” from 30 seconds to 60 seconds. Although the price per period rose from 25p to 30p, the increased time interval meant drivers would earn less for time spent waiting.
According to the council report, the change went unnoticed during the consultation and approval process. No objections were raised during the consultation period, which saw 38 responses, with 47% opposed to any fare rise and 34% in favour. The council had initially believed that no valid appeals had been submitted within the statutory timeframe.
However, a spokesperson for the Traffic Commissioner’s office confirmed that an appeal had been lodged by three Midlothian taxi operators. “The council has been given until 17 November to respond to the appeals,” they said.
The suspension means that the existing taxi fares remain in place until the appeal is resolved. The situation leaves both the council and local drivers waiting on the outcome before any revised fare structure can come into effect.
