Taxi fares are going up by more than 10 per cent after the move was agreed by North Ayrshire councillors.
The proposals, agreed at the Licensing Committee on Monday, will see the tariffs going up from £3.20 for the first three quarters of a mile up until midnight to £3.50 and from £3.50 for the first three quarters of a mile to £4 after midnight.
The cost of living crisis has caused an increase in fuel costs for cabbies.
A consultation was organised with members of the public over the proposals after plans for an increase were agreed in August.
Chair Eleanor Collier said: “Some people were asking for more increases but others were saying they were too high.
"There are unprecedented inflationary pressures on taxis, not just in terms of fuel costs, but also running costs.
"We need to have that balance between making it worthwhile to be a taxi driver whilst looking at the concerns of the taxi companies and drivers who don’t want us to overcharge.
“We felt that fares had to go up at 10 per cent for the daytime tariff which is the rate of inflation of 10 per cent and which we thought was fair.
"The other tariff went up slightly higher because we found in consultation that less people were working at night and we had to make it worth their while."
Garnock Valley Councillor Donald L Reid said drivers were entitled to not charge less if they wished but added that with inflation at more than 10 per cent that had to be taken into account and it was right to go ahead with the new fares.
The new charges will be implemented on November 21.
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