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Petition To Save Country TaxisLocal people will have a chance to register their concerns about support for regional taxi services through a petition now being circulated by Gippsland MP Peter Hall. By Peter Hall - 25th August 2005 - Back to News The Nationals MP wants to keep the issue of financial support for regional taxi services before the Government and says the petition is an opportunity for members of the community to make sure this occurs.
The Nationals have been pursuing the Government over equity for country taxi users and had a partial victory in Parliament last week, when Upper House members of Parliament acknowledged that there are serious problems to be addressed.
However, Mr Hall said it was important that the matter not be allowed to rest.
"It was clear from some of the responses from the Government, including the Transport Minister, that a satisfactory result is still far from cut and dried," he said.
"That is why I have established this petition, which I will be circulating to taxi companies, but also seeking support from the general public.
"A well supported petition from the person in the street will add a lot of weight to the case for a better deal for country people."
The petition seeks to "draw to the attention of the Legislative Council the importance of taxi services to regional and rural Victoria in providing the often only available form of public transport."
It continues: "The petitioners therefore request that the Government immediately introduce measures that will lift the subsidised operation of services to the level given to Melbourne based taxis and to initiate reforms that will enhance the viability of country taxi services so that they can continue to meet the needs of country Victorians."
Mr Hall said an example was wheelchair-accessible taxis, which in Melbourne received a subsidy of $100 every 28 days per vehicle, or $1300 a year.
They also receive $3.30 for every phone booking and the operator receives $1 a kilometre after the first four kilometres for the operation of that service.
"Those figures apply to wheelchair-accessible taxis in Melbourne, but not to the 117 wheelchair-accessible taxis outside Melbourne.
"This is just an example of the discrepancies between country and city services. It needs to be brought in line," Mr Hall said.
Copies of the petitions can be obtained by calling into Mr Hall’s office at
190 Franklin Street, Traralgon 3844, or by telephoning him on 5174 7066.
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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