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2.2 Deputy C.F. Labey of Grouville of the Minister for Transport and Technical Services regarding the results of the taxi and cab review:
Could the Minister confirm when the results of the taxi and cab review will be known, how much it will cost the taxpayer and what expertise and background the consultant engaged to undertake the review has in that particular industry?
Deputy K.C. Lewis of St. Saviour (The Minister for Transport and Technical Services):
The States Sustainable Transport Policy charges me to introduce improvements to the taxi service to provide a simplified system based upon what the public needs by 2015. The Green Paper consultation closed 28th March 2012 and was well supported with approximately 120 industry and 820 public submissions expressing their views. Now a Policy White Paper is in the process of being developed which will set out the reforms I intend to present to the States for their consideration. The policy impact analysis and detailed proposals will be developed during the rest of this year ready to be lodged with the States for debate in the first half of next year. A detailed programme is still being developed to ensure the States processes are complied with and that scrutiny and other interested parties are fully consulted. The States Sustainable Transport Policy provides a notional budget of £90,000 for this work. Thus far, £26,500 has been spent with the TAS Partnership Limited, the specialist consultant employed to carry out this work.
- The Deputy of Grouville :
Could the Minister confirm what involvement government has, or thinks it has, in providing this service run from private companies and sole traders and how much the taxi and cab industry currently costs the taxpayer?
Deputy K.C. Lewis :
I would need to get back to the Deputy regarding what the costs are but T.T.S. (Transport and Technical Services) inherited its taxes from the Defence Department and it is historical that we are the regulator.
- The Deputy of Grouville :
Yes, being the regulator is one thing but dictating how private companies and sole traders are run is another. My question is does the department have any responsibility in ensuring cab companies, for example, are fulfilling their obligations for their plates in providing a prompt door to door service?
Deputy K.C. Lewis :
Yes, indeed they do. It is regulated. If the Deputy has anything to report, then our senior officer at D.V.S. (Driver and Vehicle Standards) will be delighted to hear from her.
- Deputy R.G. Le Hérissier:
Would the Minister acknowledge in the light of Parish meetings on the bus service that, in fact, it is wrong to see the 2 systems, taxis and buses, in isolation? While it may be a situation of treading where angels fear to tread, would he not agree that reforming both together might, in fact, give synergy?
Deputy K.C. Lewis :
That is one point but they were started separately so we need to continue separately. They are both very, very important items. We have the taxis, we have the cabs, and we have the limousine private hire. Dissatisfaction has been expressed and that is what we are trying to address. If we go for complete devolution on this, we could suffer the same way as Dublin, Republic of Ireland, where it was complete chaos.
- Deputy R.G. Le Hérissier:
There may have been a misunderstanding. I was not asking necessarily for a total free market in taxis and cabs. I was asking whether the 2 systems, buses and taxis, in fact, in some ways, particularly, say, in the north of the Island, serve the same market?
Deputy K.C. Lewis :
Indeed and this has been looked at as part of the report as there could be some synergy between the 2.
- The Deputy of Grouville :
I do not believe the Minister answered my question before in that what this service provided by private companies and sole traders currently costs the taxpayer.
The Deputy Bailiff :
I think he did answer it, Deputy . It is £26,000 if I heard him correctly. The Deputy of Grouville :
That was the cost of the review. I am asking a different question.
The Deputy Bailiff :
Oh, I see, I am so sorry.
Deputy K.C. Lewis :
The cost to the taxpayer, I am not quite sure. I will need back to the Deputy on that one.