Aberdeenshire Council's licensing sub-committee has approved a 5% increase in regulated taxi fares, by five votes to three. The starting fare for the first 880 yards goes up from £3.15 to around £3.31. The rise takes effect once the statutory appeal period has passed, with council papers pointing to 1 October 2026. One local operator, which had asked for 10%, says its fleet has shrunk from around 100 cars to about 75 in two years.