Tough rules for illegal taxis - Trains will roll - Phillips

By Balford Henry, Senior Staff Reporter

Phillips

AS THE Government moves to complete its programme of improving the transport services, illegal route taxi-drivers will face strict new rules and the railway service will be restarted with or without foreign support, Minister of Transport and Works, Dr. Peter Phillips, said yesterday.

Dr. Phillips was opening the Infrastructure and Physical Development segment of the Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives.

The results of a survey to determine the mix of transportation modes required by commuters shows a "solid core" of commuters who prefer small cars ­ route taxis or hackney carriages, he said.

As a result, the Transport Authority has recommended route taxis be permitted to operate on some routes in the Kingston Metropolitan Transport Region (KMTR) where the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) was not providing satisfactory service or where roads were too narrow and not conducive to the larger buses. These include Jones Town, Maxfield Avenue to Half-Way Tree, Seaview Gardens and Waterhouse.

He said that in keeping with the recommendation, the TA is to determine the routes on which a limited number of taxis will be allowed to operate. A system to fairly select the operators on those routes will be determined and routes, including some currently operated by the JUTC, assigned.

But, he warned, for the system to work there had to be stricter enforcement and compliance with transport regulations.

"I have been having meetings right across the country with various taxi-drivers and there is a disturbing pattern of illegal operators - answering to no rules, breaking the regulations and forcing out legal operators. Obviously, this cannot be allowed to persist," Dr. Phillips said.

In order to give them a chance to get legal, the TA is to reopen the door to appropriate licensing for three months up to September.

In the meantime, the Road Traffic Act is to be amended to bring it in line with the Transport Authority Act, providing for stiffer penalties and more effective mechanisms, including the seizure of the vehicles.

On the long-delayed resumption of the national rail services, Dr. Phillips said a team from Rail India would be in the island next month to review the business plan and the financial model.

He said if negotiations were not concluded by the end of September, the Government would unilaterally make provisions for the rehabilitation of the rail service, starting with the Kingston-Spanish Town line.

"We will have to settle within the next two months. Questions concerning amounts to be provided by the parties and the precise scope of the services to be provided will have to be dealt with," Dr. Phillips said.

He said that if needs be, other partners would be sought.

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