Taxi fares increasing by up to 20% - your views online

Taxi fares in Edinburgh will increase by up to 20 per cent to keep up with inflation and the rising cost of running a vehicle, the council has confirmed.

John Davis: The thing is, people will still use them and they know that. It was the same with the sugar tax, alcohol prices and cigarette prices inflating. People will still pay the money. Businesses, schools etc also use the taxis and will continue to pay to use them.

Craig Docherty Smith: Why do people complain about taxi drivers raising prices to compensate for the cost of inflation but when it’s increases for the NHS/bin men/posties it’s OK? I know plenty of taxi drivers and delivery drivers who are currently making less that the above mentioned staff. They also don’t have employment pensions, sick pay etc.

Liz Mcgaw: This puts them out of the range for your average Joe. With the lack of taxis around since Covid it’s looking more and more like we’ll be left in the hands of the private hires anyway.

Will the price increase discourage you from taking a black cab?

John JC Chalmers: I can assure you as a cabbie that we don’t want this big price increase. All prices are set by the council and are outwith our control.

Chick Macdonald: The council listen to the recommendations put forward by the taxi trade and yes the council decides if they agree with them or not and make a decision. So it very much is to do with the taxi drivers. I don't see them saying no.

Andrew Mcdowall: That’s the end of the black taxi as most folk that use them the most can no longer afford it. Food on the table or a taxi home?

Scott Johnston: People will start to use Uber and private hire taxis – it’s disgusting that they haven’t been told to increase fares by 20 per cent. Those so-called taxis are a joke. For a start they haven’t done a test – on average doing the black cab test will set you back about £1,000. They rely on sat nav to get you to your destination and they don’t always follow quickest and most economical route Some of their cars are filthy inside too.

Si Gray: As long as a cab turns up, is safe and the price is acceptable then I’m absolutely fine with it. If black cab owners want to price themselves out of the deal then crack on and I will continue to use Uber.

Steve Lewis: I’ve been in two private hire cars – they both got lost and couldn’t use bus lanes as the black cabs raced by so in the end it cost me more.

Krzysztof Sasyn: Good to know only taxi drivers need to keep up with inflation. Rest of us are tip top.

Rory James: Edinburgh taxis have always been mega-expensive, but prices rising are everywhere (and understandably) so this shouldn’t really be a shock.

Scott Brown: They are the second cheapest in the whole of the UK.

Brian Monaghan: The Scottish Government has no money to give strikers a fair rise in line with inflation but the council, which is funded by said government, is throwing around 20 per cent rises to the taxi drivers as it costs them zero but is another increase for the public, who are already toiling.

Steven Napier: Time for people to start walking – there’s an obesity epidemic

John Black: This is the council’s way of getting them of the roads. Wwith these prices people won’t use them

Paul Fredrick Jozef Gunnell: Our last rise on the taxis was Christmas a year back – 1.2 per cent, the first increase in four years. In that period I had to change taxi from a Euro 4 to a Euro 6, costing £46,000 over five years Now this 20 per cent is only on the call-out charge, not the total fare. I would be so happy with a 20 per cent total rise.

Fawlty Towers

1970s comedy sitcom Fawlty Towers is set to return to screens after a 40-year break. John Cleese, who played Basil Fawlty, will be returning to write and star in the new series alongside his daughter Camilla Cleese.

Louise Gray: I’m willing to give it a try. It’s still very popular.

Eileen Chadwick: It was brilliant with the original cast. I think they should leave it alone. It could never be as funny as it was.

Lisa Fraser: Some classics you can't recreate. That's part of their magic.

Brad Anderson Sr: I’ll be watching. I thoroughly enjoyed the original. John Cleese is a wonderful talent.

Alison Braine: Cleese won't get away with the type of humour that was acctable then.