Taxi industry in free-fall say drivers

Written by Marie Madden

Wednesday, 28 January 2009

Galway taxi drivers have sent a petition to the Minister for Transport appealing for an end to the "anarchic free-for-all" taking place in the city and county.

Taxi drivers protesting in the city at the weekend. Photo: Hany Marzouk

Hundreds of drivers turned out at the weekend for a 'day of action', aimed at highlighting the crisis state of the taxi industry in the West.

With more licenses being handed out every month, drivers are now being forced to park illegally and take on second jobs in order to make ends meet, it is claimed.

The petition calls on the Minister to take immediate action to improve the situation and that a moratorium on the granting of all licenses in Galway be imposed for an extended period of time.

"The very fact that all the taxi interests in Galway are co-operating together in a common purpose for the first time ever must surely give you pause for thought. In normal circumstances, all these companies and drivers would be at each other's throats in the highly competitive environment, which is everyday taxing," read the submission.

"It is somewhat ironic that current government policies, which are supposedly creating a competitive environment, have resulted in all those competitors coming together to protest and act as one."

"The paradox of the present state of the industry is that, using the mantra of 'competition', the present government is avoiding making any decisions to bring order to the market. A competitive market does not thrive in an anarchic free-for-all. The free-for-all is rapidly becoming free-fall."

Speaking to the Galway Independent following Saturday's protest, Chairman of the Galway Taxi Association, Enda O Rourke said they were happy with the turnout and hopeful that a resolution could be found.

"We already have over 1,000 signatures to this petition and are hoping to get it finished by the weekend and then given to Minister Dempsey. At the demonstration, Deputy Frank Fahey outlined a five-point plan that he is to pass on to Minister Dempsey. We hope that this will then be put to cabinet and action taken to improve the situation."

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