Taxi passengers could be forced to pay more to cover the increased cost of the controversial drop-off charge at Aberdeen airport.
Last year, trade bosses agreed to pass on a £1 drop-off charge to passengers.
However, in April, the airport announced it would double the tariff with drivers now allowed to stay in the drop-off zone for
15 minutes.
Now, the city council is proposing to include the charge as part of its latest taxi fare review.
It follows appeals from the trade to prevent cabbies from having to pay the cash from their own pockets.
The proposals will be discussed by the authority’s licensing committee next week.
A report on the proposals states: “As this (the drop-off zone) is on private land the local authority has no control over this charge.
“The trade are requesting that this increased charge is passed on to the customer and this can only be done by increasing the
surcharge to the tariff.
“In the circumstances it is suggested that the committee supports the trade and allows for the increased surcharge to be added to the tariff for non-airport zoned taxis.”
Last night, Councillor Martin Greig, who has been a longstanding opponent of the charge, said he could understand the taxi trade’s position.
He said: “It seems unfair that taxi drivers carry the cost of additional parking charges, so naturally it would appear that the next logical step is for it to be paid by passengers by increasing their fares.
“Clearly someone has to pay the charge and it makes sense that it’s the person hiring the car.”
But Mr Greig expressed concern that the charge could be increased in the future and it would again fall on the public to pay.
He said: “The oil and gas revenues are dropping considerably and I think with the falling value of the £1 we are looking at a
really difficult time ahead.
“A rise in the drop-off charge in the future would appear to be possible which will only add to the burden of the average airport user.”
The licensing committee meets on Tuesday.
