Taxi passengers in Stirling could face an 11.7% increase in fares under new proposals which would also introduce special Christmas and New Year tariffs.
Stirling Council announced the proposals on Wednesday, 2 September 2026, after its Planning and Regulation Panel agreed to consult the taxi trade and members of the public.
The proposals have not yet been approved and the existing taxi fares remain in place while the consultation is carried out.
The council commissioned independent traffic consultants Licensed Vehicles Survey and Assessment, known as LVSA, to conduct its latest Taxi Fare Review.
The review considers the changing costs involved in operating a taxi, including vehicle purchase prices, servicing, fuel, insurance, vehicle excise duty, licensing costs and average national earnings.
One of the headline recommendations is an 11.7% increase in the flag-drop charges for the three existing tariffs.
Under Tariff 1, the standard starting fare would increase from £3.50 to £3.90.
Tariff 2 would increase from £4.10 to £4.60, while the Tariff 3 starting fare would rise from £5.60 to £6.20.
The distance increments charged after the initial fare would also be shortened.
Under Tariff 1, passengers would be charged another 10p for every 74.8 yards instead of the current 83.5 yards.
Tariff 2 would change from 66.8 yards to 59.8 yards for each additional 10p, while Tariff 3 would move from 52.2 yards to 46.7 yards.
The waiting-time charge would remain unchanged.
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Perhaps the most significant change for passengers travelling during Christmas and New Year would be the introduction of two completely new festive tariffs.
Proposed Tariff 4 would operate from 6pm on 24 December until 6am on 26 December, and again from 6pm on 31 December until 6am on 2 January.
The starting fare during those periods would be £6.20, with another 10p charged for every 46.8 yards travelled.
A separate Tariff 5 is proposed for festive-period journeys involving five or more passengers.
That tariff would have a £10 starting fare, with additional 10p increments for every 29.2 yards.
The proposals therefore have the potential to make Christmas and New Year journeys considerably more expensive, particularly for larger groups travelling together.
However, the council is currently seeking views rather than introducing the changes immediately.
Taxi drivers, operators, passengers and other members of the public can respond to the consultation through the council’s Engage Stirling platform.
The consultation will remain open until 7 October 2026.
Once it closes, council officers will analyse the responses and report back to the Planning and Regulation Panel with the outcome and proposed next steps.
Stirling’s last substantial taxi fare restructuring was approved in 2023, when distance-based charges increased by approximately 13.9% and a separate tariff for vehicles carrying five or more passengers was introduced.
The latest proposals demonstrate the continuing pressure on regulated taxi fares as vehicle, insurance, servicing and other operating costs change.
Whether the full 11.7% increase and the two new festive tariffs ultimately take effect will depend on the outcome of the consultation and the council’s subsequent decision.
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Sources
Stirling Council – Review on Taxi Fares to Go to Consultation
