Taxi fares across West Lothian set for Christmas rise as council backs increases
- Perry Richardson
- Sep 3
- 2 min read
Taxi passengers across West Lothian face higher fares from the end of November, with the largest proposed increase reaching 9.5% in time for the busy Christmas and New Year period.
The new fare table, if unchallenged, will see the cost of a 10-mile Tariff 3 journey rise by more than £4. The price hike, designed to reflect rising operating costs, was put forward by the West Lothian Taxi Owners Association (TOA) and backed by the council’s Executive without objection.
Tariff 1 fares, covering daytime journeys, will increase by 8.3%. A one-mile journey will rise from £4.80 to £5.20, while five-mile trips increase from £12.80 to £14. A 10-mile journey is set to go up from £22.80 to £25.
The review, part of a statutory 18-month cycle, follows a meeting between taxi operators and council officers at the Civic Centre in Livingston. Two trade groups submitted proposals, but only the TOA model received support. It included a 20p rise in Tariff 1’s initial charge, from £3.00 to £3.20, and a shortening of the distance covered before the meter increases from 176 yards to 160 yards.
The rival proposal from the West Lothian Association of Taxi Owners (WLAOTO) Fellowship also pushed for fare increases and changes to additional charges. These included raising the luggage surcharge from 20p to 40p per item, with a maximum cap of £1, and increasing the soiling charge from £40 to £60. However, this model received no votes.
Despite calls for a higher soiling fee to reflect increased vehicle cleaning costs, the council opted to maintain the existing £40 charge.
Both trade groups agreed to the need for a rise ahead of the meeting, but the TOA’s proposal ultimately gained full support from industry representatives present. The council will now advertise the new fare table for public comment. If no formal objections are received, the changes will come into effect at the end of November.
The update means that West Lothian’s taxi fares will edge closer to those seen in other parts of Scotland, where operators have already seen fare increases approved or proposed in recent months.
