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WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 1976
MEASURES TO IMPROVE PASSENGER CAR SERVICE
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THE GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO INTRODUCE NEW MEASURES WITH THE OBJECT OF PROVIDING A BETTER AND MORE RATIONAL PASSENGER CAR SERVICE FOR THE PUBLIC, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. ALAN ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. JOHN BREMRIDGE, HE SAID THE MEASURES WERE THE ISSUE BY TENDER OF 100 TAXI LICENCES PER MONTH FOR AN INDEFINITE PERIOD, THE INTRODUCTION OF CONTRACT HIRE PERMITS, AND THE ABOLITION OF PUBLIC CARS.
EXPLAINING THE GOVERNMENT'S MOVE, MR. ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT SAID THE BEST WAY TO DEAL WITH A SHORTAGE OF TAXIS WAS TO INCREASE THE IR NUMBERS.
REFERRING TO THE INTRODUCTION OF CONTRACT HIRE PERMITS, HE SAID: THESE WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ANY CAR OWNER WHO WISHES TO HIRE OUT HIS PASSENGER CAR, PROVIDED THAT HE HAS ADEQUATE INSURANCE COVER FOR SUCH USE AND THAT THE VEHICLE IS MECHANICALLY SOUND. THE USE OF SUCH CARS AS ILLEGAL TAXIS WOULD BE SUBJECT TO HEAVY PENALTIES.+
ON THE ABOLITION OF PUBLIC CARS, HE SAID THAT THESE CARS CLOSELY RESEMBLED AND WERE OFTEN OPERATED AS, ILLEGAL TAXIS, ALTHOUGH IN LAW THEY SHOULD BE HIRED ONLY ON A PRE-ARRANGED CONTRACT. MR. ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT SAID THAT FULL DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED MEASURES WOULD BE ANNOUNCED VERY SHORTLY.
AT PRESENT, HE ADDED, THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE LAW TO PREVENT TAXI DRIVERS' PRACTICE OF COVERING THE METER FLAG WITH A TOWEL TO INDICATE THAT THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED IN PICKING UP PASSENGERS WHILE RETURNING TO THE IR GARAGES.
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