Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 9 Mar 1999

Vol. 501 No. 6

Written Answers. - Taxi and Hackney Regulations.

Olivia Mitchell

Question:

281 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will introduce regulations to permit the use of bus lanes by hackney operators in view of the fact that the 4,000 licence holders can be legitimately regarded as public transport providers and the car identification system, which this permission would require and facilitate, is a much needed public safety measure. [6807/99]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Molloy)

I am seeking to progress, with the various interests concerned, a range of improvements to the regulatory framework for taxis and hackneys, following closely the advice addressed to the Minister for the Environment and Local Government by the Dublin Taxi Forum.

These regulatory improvements, as recommended by the forum, include issues related to hackneys such as external identification, the use of two-way radios and telephonic equipment and the carrying of a log of agreed fares. The forum has however recommended against the merging of the separate service roles of taxis and hackneys and, in that context, against permitting use of bus lanes by hackneys.

In the meantime wider use of bus lanes has been effected by the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations, 1998 which extend the use of bus lanes to all large public service vehicles.