A number of taxi drivers in the city are working illegally and overcharging customers, it has been claimed.

Des O' Dowd, chairman of the Rural Taxi Alliance, has spoken out to highlight the need for a full time enforcement officer to prevent unlicensed taxis operating in the city.  He said that a number of illegal taxis have been using duplicated cab numbers to avoid prosecution, and that customers are being overcharged.

Although a taxi regulator visited the area last week and apparently discovered a  number of illegal drivers, it is believed many more unlicensed drivers heard about the check and left the city centre before being found.  Mr. O'Dowd believes that a full time enforcement officer is the only way to combat illegal taxis in the city.

"There are a small number of illegal drivers operating and I think that even one is one too many.  If they are driving illegally, they are probably in the country illegally as well.  There are too many people in this business who think that they can do it better than the next person and charge extra too.  There needs to be more education for drivers and a charter enforced to show people the areas, show them how to charge and how to act," the local driver said.

"At the moment, there are about eight or nine people in the taxi regulators office responsible for regulating over 30,000 taxis.  This is simply not good enough; a full time enforcement officer is needed in the West.  We need someone who can be seen in the area and is keeping an eye on the area, and an office where people can go to make complaints about taxis in Galway.  There is no way that so few can handle so many," he said.

A spokesperson for the National Taxi Regulator said that whilst the Commission maintains that the vast majority of the industry operates to very high standards; it is committed to enforcing full compliance with the Small Public Service Vehicles (SPSV) legislation to promote consumer safety and confidence.

"The enforcement team, assisted by the gardai, cover all aspects of the SPSV industry, including vehicle standards, vehicle licensing, driver licensing, driver conduct, overcharging, and other matters relating to hiring," the spokesperson said.

"The enforcement team has been fully in place and active since February 2007.  Since that time, officers have visited over 20 separate locations across the country, including Galway.  Locations have been chosen either in response to calls from within the industry, members of the public or advice from the Gardai.  The Commission has 21 prosecutions currently pending.  These are a result both of investigation of complaints made to the Commission and of checks carried out around the country.  In addition, 70 formal warnings have been issued and advice has been given for minor infringements.

"The Commission for Taxi Regulation are responsible for all complaints in relation to condition and cleanliness of vehicles, conduct and behaviour of drivers, and overcharging of customers; and we would urge anyone with a complaint to contact our consumer information line on 1890 60 60 90," he said.

Galway Independent
05/07/2007