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New taxi fare increases arrive in Aberdeenshire with higher starting prices, waiting charges and booking fees across the region
Aberdeenshire’s revised taxi tariff takes effect today, 1 November, raising maximum fares by approximately 5% following a council review.
The standard starting fare increases from £3.15 to £3.31 for the first 880 yards or part thereof. The late-night starting charge rises from £4.50 to £4.73, while the festive starting fare increases from £4.85 to £5.09.
Distance charges also rise. Each additional eleventh of a mile costs 24p under the standard and late-night tariffs, up from 23p. The festive distance charge increases from 35p to 37p.
Waiting time is now charged at 13p for every 10 seconds across all three tariffs, compared with 12p under the previous scale. The permitted booking fee rises from 50p to 53p.
The maximum charge for passengers who cause unacceptable mess inside a taxi increases from £100 to £105. The existing 50% surcharge for vehicles licensed to carry more than four passengers remains in place.
The revised tariff follows a decision by Aberdeenshire Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee on 28 August. Members considered responses from taxi drivers and the public before agreeing to raise the previous charges by approximately 5%, with individual amounts rounded for the published tariff.
Views differed during consultation. In the initial trade consultation, 48.6% of respondents favoured keeping fares unchanged, while 37.1% supported changes. A later consultation received six responses from members of the public and 17 from the taxi trade. Half of the public respondents supported changes, mainly reductions; 58.8% of trade respondents backed changes, mainly increases.
Trade respondents seeking higher fares proposed rises of between 10% and 19%, citing operating costs. The council approved a smaller increase. It published a statutory notice on 1 October setting 1 November as the tariff’s commencement date.
The tariff retains separate standard, late-night and festive rates. Late-night charges apply from 10pm to 6am Monday to Thursday and from 6pm on Friday until 6am on Monday, as well as on specified public holidays. Festive rates apply during designated Christmas and New Year periods, including specified December weekends.
The revised figures are maximum permitted charges, not compulsory fares, and operators can charge less.
