Taxi drivers call for 50 cent surcharge as fuel costs rise

A PROPOSED surcharge on taxi fares to compensate drivers for spiralling fuel prices must be effectively controlled to ensure it is reduced if prices fall, a watchdog said yesterday.

The National Taxi Drivers Union (NTDU) has called for a 50-cent extra charge to combat high petrol prices which it said were fleecing drivers.

Petrol has risen in price by more than 14% since January, according to latest AA figures.

Newly appointed taxi regulator Ger Deering is considering the NTDU's request.

However, Dermot Jewell, chief executive of the Consumer Association of Ireland, said taxi drivers were entitled to some means of recouping rising expenses, provided that if costs were to fall in the future the charge would be dropped.

"There's a great degree of scepticism on how it would be managed," he said.

NDTU president Tommy Gorman said the charge was needed. "We're being fleeced by oil prices and a lack of taxi ranks. In order to make a living we've got to keep cruising, and in this city it's using an enormous amount of fuel," he said.

He added that taxi drivers were spending an average of €20-€25 more on fuel each week because of the extra cost of petrol.

The union favours a one-off extra charge over an increase in fares because of the costs of resetting and resealing meters.

The rising cost of fuel will be examined as part of a wide-ranging reform of cab fares due to be implemented by the Taxi Regulator. The regulator, Mr Deering, wants to introduce a new, simplified fare structure which will move towards unified pricing across the country.

Fares are set by local authority councils, but under Section 42 of the 2003 Taxi Regulation Act, likely to come into force later this year, the Commission for Taxi Regulation can take responsibility for fares.

Mr Gorman said Mr Deering had been very understanding towards the taxi drivers, but that the new pricing structure would not be implemented this year. He called on local authorities to allow the surcharge in the meantime.

He said the union would also like to see more taxi rank spaces in Dublin which had lost its St Stephen's Green rank to the Luas and the Gresham rank which was being re-developed.

Figures released by the AA yesterday show the average price of petrol is 108.5c per litre - yet another record high - with diesel prices rising sharply to 107.1c.