Tuesday October 14th 2025
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Stuart Sommerville
West Lothian taxi fares are to rise before Christmas after the hike confirmed and agreed by councillors.
The largest proposed rise of 9.5%, could see the cost of a Tariff 3 journey of 10 miles rise by more than £4 over the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Other fees including clean up costs for soiled cabs look set to be pegged at the existing £40 charge, despite calls by some taxi operators for a hefty increase.
Jessica Chan, the council’s Acting Managing Solicitor – Litigation, Legal Services told a meeting of the council’s Executive today (Tuesday) the council has to review local taxi fares every 18 months. The fare increases agreed will run until May 2027.
Taxi operators were invited to a meeting in Livingston’s Civic Centre to discuss proposed increases in July. There are two trade associations in West Lothian.
The TOA proposal received 12 votes while the Fellowship’s proposed tariffs received none. If there is no appeal against the proposed increases they will come into force at the end of November.
A recent meeting of the council’s Executive agreed to the proposals without comment. The council publish notice of any proposed changes to its fare table, and to consider any representations made in writing regarding the proposed changes, before agreeing a new fare table.
The new fare table attracted no comment when advertised in the West Lothian Courier.
The new fare table will see a Tariff 1 mile journey rising from £4.80 to £5.20, an 8.3% increase. A five mile Tariff 1 journey from 12.80 to £14 and a 10 mile Tariff 1 journey from £22.80 to £25.
West Lothian Taxi Owners Association (TOA) proposed that the tariffs be increased from £3.00 to £3.20 in Tariff 1, from £3.40 to £3.60 in Tariff 2, and from £5.10 to £5.40 in Tariff 3. It is also requested that the yardage be reduced from 176 yards to 160 yards across all tariffs.
The West Lothian Association of Taxi Owners (WLAOTO) Fellowship had proposed that the tariffs be increased from £3.40 to £3.60 in Tariff 2 and from £5.10 to £5.40 in Tariff 3, with the yardage reduced from 176 yards to 168 yards across all tariffs.
The Fellowship had also requested that the additional charge for every piece of luggage carried be increased from 20p to 40p (subject to a maximum charge increased from 40p to £1.00 per hire), and the soiling charge increased from £40.00 to £60.00.
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