Meter fault leaves Dundee taxi drivers out of pocket

Dundee taxi drivers are thought to have lost out on thousands of pounds of earnings during one of the busiest times of the year after their electronic meters failed to register a festive fare rise.

The fault in meters used in around 400 of the city’s cabs was discovered on Christmas Eve.

Around half the affected drivers had a temporary fix put in place but the remainder were left trying to explain to passengers why they were being asked to hand over more cash than was on the meter.

Chairman of Dundee Taxi Association Graeme Stephen said drivers had lost thousands of pounds as the Christmas and New Year tariff was around half as much again as the usual fare.

“The public weren’t happy because they didn’t see the festive tariff on the meter so they thought we were overcharging,” he added.

Temporary arrangements were made to ensure the problem was not repeated over the New Year holiday period but new computer chips will have to be installed by the end of the week, Mr Stephen said.