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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1979
THE BENEFITS OF THE INCREASES WERE NOT ACCRUING TO THE DRIVERS TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO STOP THE IR MALPRACTICES, BUT TO THE OWNERS AND OWNER-OPERATORS, SHE ADDED.
AFTER HEARING THE SPEECHES ON THE ROAD TRAFFIC (AMENDMENT) NO. 4 BILL ON JANUARY 10 SHE WAS CONVINCED TAXI DRIVERS ARE NOT EASILY CONTROLLED BY ANY REGULAR COMPANIES, AND THERE SEEMS LITTLE CONTROL CAN BE EXERCISED OVER ROGUE DRIVERS.
SHE THEREFORE HOPED THE PROGRESS REPORT ON THE TAXI TRADE COULD BE PRODUCED BY THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT AFTER FOUR AND NOT NINE MONTHS.
SHE POINTED OUT THAT FAR FEWER PEOPLE ARE RIDING IN TAXIS AND TAXI RANKS ARE SO FULL THAT OTHER VEHICLES HAVE BEEN HINDERED. TAXIS ARE ALSO CRUISING SLOWLY ALONG TO ATTRACT PASSENGERS TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE SMOOTH FLOW OF TRAFFIC.
+THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY IS TO INCREASE THE PASSENGER- CARRYING CAPACITY OF ALL THE VEHICLES ON THE ROADS. THIS STEEP RISE IN THE TAXI FARE SEEMS TO BE DEFEATING THIS OBJECT,+ SHE SAID.
THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, IN HIS REPLY, REMINDED THE TWO SPEAKERS OF THE SITUATION WITH TAXIS BEFORE THE FARE INCREASE CAME INTO EFFECT.
MR. JONES SAID THE GOVERNMENT'S ACTION IN RAISING FARES WAS TAKEN AFTER LONG DELIBERATION AND MUCH DEBATE.
THERE WAS NO DOUST TAX IS ARE NOW AVAILABLE AND THAT DRIVERS ARE WILLING TO TRAVEL LONGER DISTANCES.
+THERE IS NO DOUBT ALSO, FROM THE REPORTS SO FAR AVAILABLE, THAT THERE HAS BEEN A DRAMATIC FALL IN MALPRACTICES AND AN
IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANNERS OF TAXI DRIVERS.
+ IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE AGAIN TO TELEPHONE FOR A TAXI AND TO OBTAIN ONE. OR, IN OTHER WORDS, IN THE LITTLE TIME THAT HAS ELAPSED, THERE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF TAXI SERVICES.+
ALL THIS, HE SAID, HAS BEEN A GAIN BUT HE WAS NOT CLAIMING THE RIGHT BALANCE HAS NECESSARILY BEEN STRUCK AND THAT PERFECTION HAS BEEN ACHIEVED.
+AFTER A PERIOD IN WHICH THE SITUATION HAD BEEN STEADILY DETERIORATING AND WAS GETTING VERY CLOSE TO A FREE FOR ALL, FIRM ACTION WAS NECESSARY TO RESTORE SANITY, MR. JONES SAID.
+BUT IT MAY BE THAT, IN THE LIGHT OF EXPERIENCE, SOME ELEMENTS IN THE PACKAGE INCLUDING THE LEVEL OF FARES, WILL NEED ADJUSTMENT, THIS IS QUITE NATURAL AND IT MEANS THAT THE SITUATION WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED AND REVIEWED AFTER A REASONABLE PERIOD.
/+ZIS THE