Setting Fares for Midlothian Taxis

Overview

Section 17 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (the Act), states that the fares (tariffs) for the hire of taxis in any area and all other charges in connection with the hire of a taxi or with the arrangements for its hire, shall be not greater than those fixed by the Council for that area.

Local Authorities are required to review and fix scales for the fares and other charges every 18 months.

Initial consultation with representatives of Midlothian Taxi Owners Association (MTOA) took place in March 2025. The MTOA highlighted that a tariff review had not taken place since November 2022 and that operating, licensing and business costs had increased significantly since that time, including -

• Service, Fuel, Public Electric Vehicle Charging and Insurance costs
• Midlothian Taxi Licence fees (both Vehicle and Personal)
• Fees from Taxi businesses (Radio rental/charges)

The MTOA advocated for a wider review of tariff setting and specifically wished the Committee to be informed that they believed the Midlothian fees should mirror those in the City of Edinburgh. They identified similarities with the trade and business environment in Edinburgh, including shared Taxi Cab Inspection/Fees conditions.

Following this meeting, proposals for a revised table of fares for all taxis and private hire cars fitted with meters were presented to General Purposes Committee on 17^th June 2025. At that meeting it was agreed that the proposed fares would be put out to full public consultation. We are therefore seeking your views and comment on the proposed fares.

The proposed scale of fares are attached. These vary depending on time of day, distanced travelled and waiting time. There are also particular tariffs for the Christmas and New Year period and additional fees for a range of items, including for example the fee for cleaning the vehicle.

Why your views matter

Consultation with both the taxi trade and with the public is essential element in conducting a full review of taxi fares. It is also a legal requirement.

We want to hear from taxi drivers, users and non-users of taxis in Midlothian to understand your views about taxi fares.