Report on Public Consultation on Taxi Roof Signs
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Report on Public Consultation on Taxi Roof Signs National Transport Authority, Dun Scèine, Harcourt Lane, Dublin 2 . January 2016 Contents Page 1 Introduction and Background 3 1.1 Introduction 3 1.2 Background 3 2 Consultation on Taxi Roof Signs 2015 4 2.1 Purpose and Process 4 2.2 Approach 4 3 Consultation Response 5 3.1 Submissions Received 5 3.2 Issues Raised in Submissions 5 4 Analysis of Core Issues 8 4.1 Core Issue 1: Cost and Financial Impact 8 4.2 Core Issue 2: Safety 8 4.3 Core Issue 3: Size of Sign 9 4.4 Core Issue 4: Design of New Sign 9 5 Summary and Conclusions 10 NTA Taxi Roof Sign Consultation Report Report on Public Consultation on Taxi Roof Signs 1 Introduction and Background 1.1 Introduction The National Transport Authority (Authority) is a State body set up under statute in 2009. From 01 January 2011, it assumed responsibility for the regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) sector, i.e. taxis, wheelchair accessible taxis, hackneys, wheelchair accessible hackneys, local area hackneys and limousines, together with their drivers, owners and associated services. At 31 December 2015, a total of 21,146 SPSVs were licenced to the Irish fleet; 17,488 were taxis and wheelchair accessible taxis with c.70% of those in the Greater Dublin Area. At 31 December 2015, there were 27,440 SPSV drivers licensed to provide public transport services across the country. 1.2 Background In January 2012, the Report of the Taxi Regulation Review Group was published on foot of a wide ranging review carried out in line with a Government decision of June 2011. The Review Group, which was convened and chaired by the then Minister for Public and Commuter Transport, Alan Kelly T.D., included dispatch operators, drivers, vehicle owners and consumers as well as Government Departments and regulatory and enforcement agencies. The aim of the review was to allow consumers to have confidence in the taxi system while also ensuring that legitimate and competent operators and drivers could be rewarded fairly by operating under a regulatory framework that is adequately enforced. Action 13 of the Report of the Taxi Regulation Review Group states: “To design, for consultation with the industry, a new taxi roof sign that is more compact, is subject to restricted availability from authorised suppliers, and can display a greater level of information for consumer and compliance improvements. Consideration will be given to the use of electronic displays as part of the roof sign and the future-proofing of the sign to link with future developments in the area of taxi technology.” This consultation on taxi roof signs is in response to the recommendation of the Taxi Regulation Review Report. NTA Taxi Roof Sign Consultation Report Report on Public Consultation on Taxi Roof Signs 2 Consultation on Taxi Roof Signs 2015 2.1 Purpose and Process The purpose of the consultation was to elicit the views of the SPSV industry, stakeholders and general public on the appetite for introducing a smaller taxi roof sign design, together with introducing restricted availability through authorised suppliers only. Submissions and views were invited from the industry, public and other stakeholders by way of newspaper advertisement, SPSV Industry Update and website publications on 07 August 2015 in relation to this consultation on new taxi roof signs. The closing date for receipt of submissions was 18 September 2015. 2.2 Approach Certain considerations were put forward to direct the discussion as follows: A new roof sign design could range from a simple static informational roof sign through to an interactive electronic roof sign that displayed only data pulled from the live SPSV register held by the Authority via mobile communication links. This latter concept offers potential for a “real time, live location” feature to benefit driver and passenger safety. The design of any new roof sign for use on taxis in Ireland would need to consider the following: Size and impact on vehicle fuel consumption; Cost; Information to be displayed on sign; Visibility of sign information during day time and night time hours; Use of technology including electronic displays; Consistency of appearance and quality; Durability; Vehicle fixing; and Supply arrangements and level of supply control. NTA Taxi Roof Sign Consultation Report Report on Public Consultation on Taxi Roof Signs 3 Consultation Response 3.1 Submissions Received A total of 2,565 submissions were received, including three late submissions. 97.3% of the submissions received did not consider that a new design of taxi roof sign was required. 2.7% of the submissions received considered that a new design of taxi roof sign was required and some provided opinion on that design. A list of all those who made submissions is referenced in Appendix A. A total of 2,353 hand delivered submissions received were identical but signed individually. A copy of this submission is at Appendix B. Repeat identical submissions by the same individual were excluded. 3.2 Issues Raised in Submissions All 2,565 submissions were reviewed by the Authority and the issues raised were categorised, summarised and analysed. In total, 70 (2.7%) of the submissions were generally in favour of a new taxi roof sign design. 2,495 submissions (97.3%) were against the concept of making changes in this regard. A total of 4 core issues were identified during this review process. The main category headings and the number of times the issues were raised under each category heading are summarised in Tables 1 and 2 below. Table 1 – Core Issues raised in submissions Category Number of Times Headings Raised Concern over potential negative financial impact on 2,388 SPSV Operators Cost and Fuel savings sufficient with sideways permission 2,354 Financial Impact regulated for currently Concern over vehicle resale value, with holes 1 drilled in vehicle roof Design a distress signal in roof sign for drivers 8 Safety Current signs can detach on motorway in winds 2 No benefit to public or operator to reducing size 2,354 Size Benefit to size reduction 26 Design Red/ Hired - Green /Available indicators 20 NTA Taxi Roof Sign Consultation Report Report on Public Consultation on Taxi Roof Signs Connect roof sign to taximeter Hired/Available 18 indicators Brighter roof sign lighting 11 Affixed by magnets only 7 Electronic information display (with scrolling) 6 Permanently affixed 5 Match colour to branding palette for consistency 3 Aerodynamic multi-positioning 3 Table 2 – Other Issues raised in submissions Category Number of Times Headings Raised Restrict to controlled authorised suppliers only 3 Smaoinigh ar úsáid a bhaint as an focal TACSAÍ 1 amháin (Consider the use of the word TACSAÍ only) Introduce GSM/GPS/GPRS Link to update fares automatically, track availability, control 6 hired/available messages in line with “linked in“ status remotely Abandon roof sign completely, rely on branding 2 Incorporate roof sign into front and rear 1 windscreen Non-Core Issues Introduce real time roof sign locational monitoring 1 to detect “bogus” operators Integrate roof sign controls with Leapcard 1 functionality Incorporate braille on roof sign 1 Control WAV service provision through tracking 1 Control licence supply through tracking and LED 1 locational status Introduce a tachograph with the roof sign 1 NTA Taxi Roof Sign Consultation Report Report on Public Consultation on Taxi Roof Signs In terms of issues that were raised most often, the highest common factor (2,388 instances) related to the potential financial impact on SPSV service providers. The second and third highest number of views referenced (each 2,354 times) related to (a) the fact that fuel consumption expenditure on long journeys was sufficiently addressed through current regulation and (b) that there was no real benefit to reducing the size of the current roof sign. Further issues raised are categorised in the two tables above. NTA Taxi Roof Sign Consultation Report Report on Public Consultation on Taxi Roof Signs 4 Analysis of Core Issues 4.1 Core Issue 1: Cost and Financial Impact The issue of the additional cost and financial impact of a new taxi roof sign design was the issue raised most frequently in the submissions – it was stated as a key concern in 2,388 submissions. Many of the submissions identified that the industry had experienced a major downturn, with driver incomes significantly decreased. In addition, it was identified that recent regulatory changes had imposed new costs on the industry such as the requirement to apply branding to taxi doors and the introduction of vehicle age limits. Some submissions cited that the introduction of a new roof sign was a cost that they would be unable to bear and proposed that if new signage was to be introduced, that it should be at the cost of the State. In relation to the issue of the size of the sign and its impact on vehicle operating costs, most submissions commenting upon this aspect identified that for longer journeys this could be addressed by placing the sign longitudinally on the vehicle roof, which is already permitted under the prevailing regulations. Some concerns were expressed over the impact of a redesigned sign which would have to be bolted to the vehicle roof and the loss in resale value of having residual holes in the roof of the vehicle. 4.2 Core Issue 2: Safety Safety of drivers and the role that a redesigned roof sign could play in enhancing driver security was raised in several submissions. Some suggestions made included the incorporation of a distress signal into the roof sign and the inclusion of GPS tracking capability in a redesigned sign.