Taxi drivers put fare rise bid on hold

TAXI drivers are set to postpone a formal submission for a fare increase until next January after Taxi Regulator Ger Deering ruled out their demand for a 50 cent surcharge to compensate plate-holders for rising petrol prices.

Mr Deering, who will take over many responsibilities in relation to taxi licensing from local authorities and gardaí next month, has instead signalled he will carry out a review of fare structures in early 2006.

The National Taxi Drivers' Union accepted yesterday that taxi drivers will not receive permission to increase fares until next year at the earliest.

NTDU president Tommy Gorman said there was no point in seeking a fare increase from local authorities this month in advance of the Taxi Regulator taking over responsibility for granting fare increases.

Taxi drivers were awarded a 5.5% fare increase at the start of 2005, the first price rise granted since 2002.

However, Mr Gorman insisted that the current sharp rise in the cost of oil was having a very negative impact on his members.

"Taxi drivers are suffering in a twofold manner. Not only are they paying more for petrol, there are also less taxi ranks which means many drivers have to cruise around towns and cities in order to pick up a fare," explained Mr Gorman.

The NTDU has also welcomed proposals by Mr Deering to move towards a standardised fare system across the country.

A spokesperson for the Taxi Regulator said it was planned to introduce a new, simplified fare structure moving towards a unified fare system in 2006.

Mr Gorman said the NTDU had no disagreement with a universal pricing system in principle, although he acknowledged that taxi drivers in some areas might be unhappy.

Minimum fares for a journey currently range from just €2.92 in Tipperary town to €6 in Ennis, Co Clare. The minimum fare in Dublin, which accounts for the majority of the 16,000 taxi licenses held in the Republic, is €4, while the nationwide average is €4.51.

The NTDU said it also supported plans to eliminate the current practice of taxi drivers going "off meter" when travelling with a fare outside their licensed area.

Mr Gorman said his union would favour a two-tiered pricing system for journeys, with a separate rate once taxis went outside their normal operating area.

Fine Gael has recently called for the fixing of taxi fares from all the country's main airports after its Enterprise spokesman, Phil Hogan, claimed many airport users were being overcharged.

Mr Gorman said it would not be opposed to such a measure, once taxi drivers were consulted about appropriate fare levels.

"We could live with that as it would cut out the problem of overcharging," he said.