Glasgow taxi fares are set to increase by nearly 20 per cent this year

Taxi fares are set to rise by just shy of 20% in Glasgow this year after the council approved an increase to help drivers with mounting operating costs.

The minimum charge will go up by 60p from £3.40 to £4. The time charge will also rise from an increment of 20p to 30p - meaning you’ll be charged an extra 10p everytime the fare goes up due to time.

An independent report found drivers’ costs increased by 19.36% between February 2021 and September 2022.

Robert McLean of Glasgow Taxis told the BBC that the trade was “difficult and challenging” during the cost of living crisis, he also said that ‘there is no doubt a sigificant increase is required.’ The taxi driver also told the state broadcaster that this would not result in a direct equivalent wage rise to the black cab operators - claiming most of it would go to insurance, maintenance, and other costs.

The increase in fare was reccomended by one Dr James Cooper of Taxi Research Partners after he reviewed the current taxi fare scales in the city. The nighttime additional fee will also go up from £1.20 to £1.40 after 11pm.

Dr Cooper told Glasgow City Council’s licensing and regulatory committee that this rise would incentivise drivers to work through the night. Councillors on the committee agreed to introduce the taxi tariff rises. The increase will be advertised with a further consultation before it takes effect this year.

Private hire vehicles will not be affected, as unlike black cab taxis, their fares are not set by the local authority.

Taxi drivers in Glasgow have barely recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic - with many still hanging on to debts from the two year period they went with no / very little business. Many opted to retire once the pandemic hit, and with the Low Emissions Zone deadline putting a lot of pressure on black cab operators to switch vehicles - it’s hoped that the increased fare could incentivise more people to join the trade / stick with it.

To find out more about why it’s so difficult to get a taxi in Glasgow, read our article here.