This time it's CLLR John Kennedy:
https://www.finegael.ie/our-people/candidates/dublin/dun-laoghaire-rathdown/stillorgan/john-kennedy/All we need now is a Grassy Knoll:
Dublin taxi industry ‘slowly recovering’ despite 3pc reduction in drivers
The number of taxi drivers in Dublin has fallen by 3pc since the pandemic
The number of taxi drivers in Dublin has fallen by 3pc since the pandemic
Amy Blaney
Tue 4 Jul 2023 at 15:12
The taxi industry in Dublin is “slowly recovering”, despite a 3pc reduction in licensed drivers since the pandemic, according to the National Transport Authority (NTA).
At a meeting of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown councillors on Monday, Anne Graham, CEO of the NTA, said: “We have seen a reduction of availability of taxis and the number of driver licenses, as well as licenses being put on pause during Covid.
“They are certainly beginning to recover now, but we are still not at pre-Covid levels in terms of the number of driver licenses or vehicle licenses.
“But we are recovering. Driving licenses are [down] around 5pc nationally, and then 3pc in terms of Dublin,” she added.
The demand for taxis in Dublin city centre has been increasing, with calls for 24-hour buses running through the night to cope with the shortage.
There have also been complaints over the lack of available drivers on taxi booking apps late at night, with claims of drivers turning off the apps rather than taking bookings.
“The taxi drivers themselves can choose whether they attach or take a booking with a dispatch operator because there is obviously a cost associated with taking that booking,” said Ms Graham.
“But in terms of security, for those using taxis, we have developed a driver check app which allows anyone using a service to be able to check they are getting a licensed driver and vehicle.”
Cllr John Kennedy told Ms Graham that taxi services in Dublin are “poor”.
“Obviously younger people may be vulnerable at night. We have to make sure they can always turn on the app and get a taxi safely at all times of the night to get home,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ms Graham said bus driver shortages, rather than funding, is the biggest “constraint” in delivering Bus Connects.
To date, five phases of the project have currently been delivered, including the H Spine, G Spine, C Spine, W Orbital and N Orbital.
The project aims to redesign the entire bus network throughout the city with 24-hour routes, cashless payments and increased capacity and frequency.
“The big constraint for our delivery is not funding, but actually driver shortages,” said Ms Graham.
“To be able to build the capacity we need more drivers, and this has been the constraint that all our operators have been facing.
“The first nine planning applications for Bus Connects have been lodged with An Bord Pleanala, and all twelve applications are expected to be made by July,” she added.
Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) were recently issued to local residents and businesses in north Dublin as part of a Bus Connects project to Dublin Airport.The NTA intends to buy up roads, gardens and footpaths for the Swords to City Centre Core Bus Corridor.
Ms Graham said buses in Dublin are “moving to next generation ticketing” which would allow contactless payments currently available throughout Europe.
“We are procuring this system at the moment and we are in the middle of procurement of an account based system,” she said.
“So rather than all your information being on your Leap Card, it would be in the back office in an account.
“You would be able to use multiple means of payment but also multiple means of identifying you at the start of your journey, including your phone, your bank card and some other form of token,” she added.
