Taxi firms hail 14% Angus Council fare rate increase

Taxi fares in Angus are set to rise by 14%, as the council approves new rates.

Under the new rates, the daytime tariff will increase 60p to £5 for the first mile – an increase of 14%.

Other daytime rates for longer distances will rise by 6% to 12%.

Evening tariffs will go up between 6% and 11%, including from £5.50 to £6.10 for the first mile.

Councillors agreed to introduce the new rates at a civic licensing committee.

Neil Gibson, director of Lorimer Cabs in Montrose - one of the area’s largest taxi firms - urged councillors to back an increase, saying it was vital to the survival of their business.

“The bottom line is if we can afford to be in business, if we can’t actually charge pro rata against what our product costs us to produce when we sell it, then we are out of business,”