Shocked council receives NOT ONE RESPONSE to taxi fare review consultation forcing fare freeze

Taxi drivers in East Lothian have missed out on a vital fare increase after a shocked council failed to receive one fare consultation response from the trade.

Taxi drivers in the region now face a third year of frozen tariffs after all 70 taxi operators contacted directly by the council failed to respond.

The East Lothian Council’s licensing sub-committee were left with little choice but to keep the fares static despite the incredible spike in fuel and living costs over the last 12 months.

According to the East Lothian Courier, Committee members were however concerned over the lack of communication between the council and the taxi trade.

It is not the first time East Lothian cab operators have returned a no-show on responses either. The last fares review started just before the pandemic lockdown on 20 March 2020 and ended six weeks later with no trade responses.

Nearby Midlothian Council recently gave the green light for cabbies to receive a fare increase totalling up to 20% after six years of frozen fare reviews.

The East Lothian licensing sub-committee will now contact taxi operators again to notify them of the fare freeze and seek new ways to engage with the taxi industry.