Abu Dhabi taxi fares increase by one-third

Beginning on Sunday, silver taxis in the capital will cut the distance travelled per dirham from a full kilometre to 750 metres.

ABU DHABI // Taking a taxi in the capital will cost a few dirhams more from Sunday. The fare for riding one of Abu Dhabi's silver taxis will be Dh1 for every 750 metres travelled, the Centre for Regulation of Transport by Hire Cares (TransAD) said in a statement yesterday. Currently, it costs Dh1 for every kilometre. The flag fare will remain unchanged. The announcement follows last month's increase in the price of fuel when a 20 fils price rise on each litre of petrol sold in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and the Northern Emirates came into effect - an extra 14 per cent. The price rise was the second in three months following an increase of 15 fils per litre in April. The increases - which totalled as much as 27 per cent, depending on the grade of petrol - marked the first time that the government has relaxed price caps since 2005. @Email:[e-mail]