£31m taxi contract to cut wait for air passengers

EDINBURGH airport passengers will be greeted by uniformed drivers and have to wait no more than five minutes for a taxi under a new £31 million contract awarded today to a City Cabs-Edinburgh City Private Hire joint venture.

The single five-year deal from April will replace the current at Scotland’s busiest airport, which include a City Cabs-Central Taxis black cabs consortium and private hire firm Onward Travel.

The airport, which handles 9 million passengers a year, said the new contract would also ensure minimum vehicle quality.

It said there were no current service standards such as maximum waiting times.

A spokesman said: “The new contract will make sure there are always cars available. Some passengers have had to wait for a taxi at night.”