iStockAngus is set for a double-digit rise in taxi fares.
A review of current rates led to a range of proposals being put before the local authority’s civic licensing committee when they met on Thursday.
Committee members subsequently agreed on proposals put forward by Neil Gibson of Lorimer Cabs in Montrose.
This means the daytime tariff will rise from £4.40 to £4.90 for the first mile – an increase of 11%.
Daytime rates for longer distances would rise between 8% to 10%.
And evening tariffs will rise from £5.50 to £6 for the first mile.
During Thursday’s meeting, Mr Gibson pressed the case for an increase, saying it is vital for the area’s taxi operators to stay afloat.
Addressing councillors, he said: “The bottom line is that without revenue and profit, there’s no taxi companies.
“The decline in the service in Angus has been absolutely massive. I had to turn off my phone for 13 minutes last night, and I missed 28 calls.
“There is no way I could have kept up with that demand, but the public expects me to.
“I couldn’t because of a lack of drivers and a lack of vehicles.”
“It’s caused by cost, and the only way the taxis can survive is if that cost is paid by the customer.”
He added that the proposed fares were the maximum tariffs which Angus taxis could charge, so it is still open to taxi firms to charge lower fares.
However, council leader George Meechan led calls for fares to stay the same.
He argued that the proposals did not reflect the views of all Angus taxi operators.
The issue has split the taxi trade after other operators said a hike would “kill” the trade locally.
But councillors voted 6-2 in favour of an increase.
The proposals will now be advertised for further comment.
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