Tom Hayes
Ceist:478 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for Transport the reason visually impaired persons are not entitled to a discount with taxi or hackney companies in cases in which public transport is not available to them. [30814/03]
Written Answers. - Taxi Regulations.
Under the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations 1963 to 2002, the fixing of a maximum taxi fare structure for a taximeter area is a reserved function of the relevant local licensing authority.
Taxis operating within a taximeter area must not charge fares for taxi services within that area which exceed the maximum fare set for such services by the local authority. It is open to individual taxi licence holders or drivers to charge less if they so wish.
Hackneys, as private hire vehicles, are not subject to fare controls imposed under the public service vehicle regulations. Hackney fares are therefore a matter for agreement in advance between the customer and the hackney licence holder.