Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 9 May 2012
2Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport the rationale for the reintroduction of the nine year rule on taxis; the evidence used to determine the effectiveness of this policy in terms of improving safety. [23326/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraRegulation of the taxi industry, including issues pertaining to the nine year vehicle age limit, is a matter for the National Transport Authority under the provisions of the Public Transport Regulation Act 2009.
A public consultation was carried out by the NTA in 2011 on vehicle standards and, in particular, issues pertaining to vehicle age and size. The outcome of the consultation was made available to the taxi regulation review group as part of its deliberations on a wide range of matters of concern to the taxi sector, including the safety of small public service vehicles for the travelling public. The review report sets out the proposals of the review group with regard to vehicle standards.
Action ten of the report proposes that existing vehicles in the fleet prior to 1 January 2009 should be allowed to operate until they are 14 years of age, subject to passing a roadworthiness test and an NTA licence renewal assessment at six monthly intervals for vehicles aged nine years or older. Regulations under section 18 of the Road Traffic Act 1961 will be drafted by my Department in consultation with Road Safety Authority, which has responsibility for NCT testing. This approach will give licence holders time to adjust to the new arrangements and will work out cheaper than replacing the car outright, as was proposed previously. Feedback from consumers indicates that they are concerned about vehicle standards and safety.
It is envisaged that vehicles older than nine years will gradually transition out of the fleet. In considering these matters, the review group was conscious of the need to ensure an effective balance between the provision of a high quality and safe service to the public and the interests of taxi drivers with a long-term commitment to the industry. It is hoped that the six monthly NCT testing of vehicles aged between nine and 14 years as proposed in the review report will be commenced in tandem with new vehicle standards to be introduced by the NTA in January 2013.
The taxi regulation review has come up with a number of good ideas but I do not agree with some of their recommendations. The main issues that the taxi industry faces at present are oversupply and proper enforcement. The proposals to phase out vehicles that are older than nine years suggests that we operate differently from other countries in Europe and America. Some of the yellow taxis in America are 20 or 30 years old, as are the black cabs in the North and England. These vehicles are subject to a proper testing system. We have a system that includes the NCT and other tests.
These new proposals will create an additional burden for taxi drivers, many of whom are getting on in age. They will be forced to change their vehicles. Once their vehicles are nine years old they will have to be tested every six months. These tests will impose further costs on an industry that is struggling. The various charges that apply to the taxi drivers are pushing people out of the industry. I agree that we should push out the rogues who are messing up the industry by abusing the system. Nobody disputes the importance of health and safety.
I am delighted the Deputy supports the majority of the recommendations of the review group. The extension of the nine-year rule to 14 years in certain circumstances recognises the difficult situation in which many taxi-drivers find themselves. No Minister responsible for this area has met taxi driver representatives as often as I have met them in this report phase. Along with that we need to take into account the requirements of consumer groups. Consumers want to be in cars they recognise as being safe. It is essential that we have conditions that show that these cars are safe. We do not want any issues regarding the safety standards of these cars affecting public confidence in the use of taxis. Taxi-drivers will confirm that. That is why cars older than nine years and up to 14 years are tested at six-month intervals. The majority of the taxi groups were very supportive of the changes recommended by the committee I chaired.
I brought this matter to Dublin City Council a few years ago when I was a councillor and all Labour councillors supported not having a nine-year rule. Action 10, which the Minister of State mentioned, clearly outlines why this is being done. It states that the system was based on vehicle inspection and mileage, and that it was too expensive to develop and operate. We have been operating this system for many years and have not had the complaints or the reason to change the system.
Does the Minister of State intend giving the RSA responsibility for all taxi vehicle testing? Is that part of the future plan? The RSA seems to be taking over everything for which the local authorities previously had responsibility.
On the latter question, no firm decisions have been made in that area but it is being investigated. The Deputy seems to imply that the taxi drivers did not speak about the requirement to change the nine-year rule previously. The drivers we met understood that consumers needed to have confidence in their vehicles. The consumer groups' representatives on the committee stated clearly that they expected a very modern fleet. Bearing this in mind and given the financial difficulties in which the drivers find themselves, this was the compromise reached. It is a compromise that was welcomed by the consumer groups and the taxi industry. It recognises those drivers who have cars and have been in the industry for many years - preceding 2009 - and generally many of them are full-time drivers. They are allowed to hold on to their cars for 14 years. This is a very effective and good compromise. It instils confidence in consumers, who know that they need to pass the standards test and an NCT every six months, which is appropriate.
