Item 8 - Review of Taxi Fares - Clydebank Zone - June 2025
West Dunbartonshire Council · 4 June 2025
Back to Licensing Committee — 4 June 2025 and its agenda
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by Chief Officer – Regulatory & Regeneration Licensing Committee – 4 June 2025 Subject: Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 Review of Taxi Fares and Charges Clydebank Taxi Licensing Zone 1. Purpose 1.1 To report to the Committee on the review of fares and charges applicable to taxis operating within the Clydebank Taxi Licensing Zone. 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended:- (a) that the proposed changes to the current level of fares and charges applicable to the Clydebank Taxi Licensing Zone, submitted by both the Clydebank Taxi Operators Group (CTOG) and the Clydebank and District Taxi Owners Association Radio Systems Ltd., (CBTOARS) be considered and a fare chart agreed. (b) that officers arrange for the advertisement of the fares and charges agreed by the Committee and review any representations received; and (c) that authority be delegated to the Chief Officer – Regulatory & Regeneration, in consultation with the Chair of the Licensing Committee, to conclude the review without the requirement for the Committee to consider a further report on the matter provided no representations are received in relation to the proposal. 3. Background 3.1 In terms of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act, 1982, Licensing Authorities must fix scales for taxi fares and related charges within 18 months from the date on which the scales came into effect. 3.2 The fares and charges which are applicable to taxis operating within the Clydebank Taxi Licensing Zone have been in effect since 30 May 2024 and these are detailed at Appendix 1. 3.3 At the meeting of the Licensing Committee held on 19 February 2025, a new procedure was agreed in terms of who should be consulted when carrying out
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fare reviews. Those to be consulted are any person or organisation already recognised as being representative of the operators of taxis by the Licensing Committee and any person or organisation that can demonstrate they are representative of at least 10% of all taxi licence holders within the relevant zone. 3.4 When considering who to consult within the Clydebank Taxi zone, a letter inviting a proposal for a new fare chart was issued to CTOG being the recognised trade representative group. A further letter was sent to CBTOARS as the holder of more than 10% of the plates issued in the Clydebank zone. 3.5 On 9 May 2025 a submission was received from CBTOARS, proposing amendments to the existing fare chart as follows:- Increase the flagfall on Tariff 1 by 50p from £3.80 to £4.30 Increase the flagfall on Tariff 2 by 70p from £4.30 to £5.00 Increase the flagfall on Tariff 3 by £1.50 from £5.50 to £7.00 Increase the running mile on Tariff 1 from £2.00 to £2.20 Increase the running mile on Tariff 2 from £2.20 to £2.50 Increase the running mile on Tariff 3 from £2.50 to £3.00 During the period when Tariff 3 applies; between Noon on 24th December until Midnight on 26th December and between Noon on 31st December until Midnight on 2nd January, amend the Extra Charges applicable from 50p between 9.00pm and 6.00am to £1.00 between 6.00pm and 6.00am Waiting time to remain the same Increase the charge payable for a taxi booking made by telephone or via App and not cancelled before arrival when the taxi is no longer required from £3.80 to £5.00 3.6 On 12 May 2025 a submission was received from CTOG, proposing amendments to the existing fare chart as follows:- Increase the flagfall on Tariff 1 by 50p from £3.80 to £4.30 Increase the flagfall on Tariff 2 by 50p from £4.30 to £4.80 Increase the flagfall on Tariff 3 by 50p from £5.50 to £6.00 Increase the running mile on Tariff 3 from £2.50 to £2.80 Change the times when Tariff 1 is applicable from 6.00am until 9.00pm to 6.00am until 8.00pm Change the times when Tariff 2 is applicable from 9.00pm until 6.00am to 8.00pm until 6.00am Change the period when Tariff 3 applies from between Noon on 24 December until Midnight on 26 December and between Noon on 31 December until
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Midnight on 2 January to 6.00am on 24 December until 6.00am on 27 December and between 6.00am on 31 December until 6.00am on 3 January Increase Waiting Time from 10p for every 20 seconds to 10p for every 10 seconds Waiting time to remain at 10p for every 20 seconds During the proposed period when Tariff 3 applies; between 6.00am on 24 December until 6.00am on 27 December and between 6.00am on 31 December until 6.00am on 3 January, amend the Extra Charges applicable from 50p between 9.00pm and 6.00am to 50p between 8.00pm and 6.00am Increase the charge payable for a taxi booking made by telephone or via App and not cancelled before arrival when the taxi is no longer required from £3.80 to £4.30 4. Main Issues 4.1 Having contacted CBTOARS to request the submission of a proposal for consideration by the Committee, a letter was submitted on 9 May 2025. Although not exhaustive, the letter refers to increases in fees, operating costs, wages, insurance, fuel and new vehicle costs as justification for the proposed rise in the fares. A copy of the letter can be seen at Appendix 2. 4.2 Similarly, having contacted CTOG to request the submission of a proposal for consideration by the Committee, an email was sent on 12 May 2025. The email refers to their view that the taxi trade was still in decline as a direct result of the pandemic and cited rising licensing fees, higher fuel costs, higher insurance premiums and increasing costs for parts and labour as on-going concerns affecting the trade. The proposed increase to the fares were submitted on this basis. A copy of the email can be seen at Appendix 3. 4.3 Licensing can advise that, having referred to the RAC website, which provides an average cost of fuel on a monthly basis for the UK, it shows that the most up to date figures for the average cost of unleaded fuel was 133.0p per litre and 139.3p per litre for diesel. At the time when the last fare chart became effective in May 2024, the average cost of fuel in the UK was 148.1p for unleaded petrol and 154.1p for diesel. This represents a decrease of 10.2% for unleaded fuel and 9.6% for diesel based on the difference in price when comparing the figures between May 2024 and May 2025. 4.4 The last fare review resulted in the implementation of an updated fare chart for the Clydebank zone effective from May 2024, the effect of which saw the following being implemented:- increase on the flagfall on Tariff One by 50p increase on the flagfall on Tariff Two by 50p; increase on the flagfall on Tariff Three by 70p;
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increase on the running mile by 10p on Tariff One; increase on the running mile by 20p on Tariff Two; increase on the running mile by 30p on Tariff Three; increase to the period for waiting time from 10p for each 30 seconds (£12.00 per hour) to 10p for each 20 seconds (£18.00 per hour); a change to the period of time when Tariff 2 is applicable from 6.00 pm until Midnight on 24 December and 31 January to 6.00 am until Noon on 24 December and 31 January; a change to the period of time when Tariff 3 is applicable from Midnight on 24 December and 31 January to Noon on 24 December and 31 January; an increase to the amount where extra charges will apply for a taxi called by telephone or via App and not cancelled before arrival from £3.30 to £3.80; a change to the wording from ‘Taxi drivers may add on any charge incurred at Glasgow Airport when either dropping off or picking up passengers’ to ‘Taxi drivers may add on any charge incurred at any Airport or car park when either dropping off or picking up passengers’. 4.5 Representatives from both CBTOARS and CTOG have been invited to attend the Committee in order that they can speak to their submission and answer any questions Members may have. 4.6 Referring to 2.1 (c) of this report, should no representations be received in relation to the proposals, in order to expedite matters, it is suggested that authority be delegated to the Chief Officer - Regulatory and Regeneration in consultation with the Chair of the Licensing Committee to conclude the review without the requirement for the Committee to consider a further report. 5. People Implications 5.1 There are no personnel issues for the Council arising from this report. 6. Financial Implications 6.1 There are no financial implications for the Council arising from this report. 7. Risk Analysis 7.1 There is no increased risk to the Council associated with the contents of this report. 8. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 8.1 No impact assessment is required because this report does not involve any
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change to policies or services or financial decisions. 9. Consultation 9.1 The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 sets out how the licensing authority should engage with the trade and public in relation to the setting of taxi fares. The process on how the Licensing Team carry out consultation for fare reviews was agreed at the meeting of the Licensing Committee on 19 February 2025 and this process has been followed in this fare review. Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration Date 14 May 2025 Person to Contact: Robert Mackie, Senior Officer (Licensing Services), Licensing Team, Municipal Buildings, College Street, Dumbarton, G82 1NR. Tel. No. (Direct line) 01389 738741. robert.mackie@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices 1. Current Fare Chart for Clydebank Licensing Zone. 2. Letter received from Clydebank and District Taxi Owners Association Radio Systems Ltd. 3. Email received from Clydebank Taxi Operators Group. Background Papers 1. Letter to Clydebank and District Taxi Owners Association Radio Systems Ltd. dated 7 April 2025. 2. Letter to Clydebank Taxi Operators Group dated 7 April 2025. 3. Letter to Clydebank and District Taxi Owners Association Radio Systems Ltd. dated 16 May 2025. 4. Letter to Clydebank Taxi Operators Group dated 16 May 2025.