Taxis to discuss liberalisation plans next week

The committee of the White Taxis Licensed Amalgamated which was to meet last night to discuss the liberalisation of the taxi sector being proposed by the Transport Ministry will instead be meeting next week.

The board of the Mini-buses Cooperative will be doing the same thing.

Mini-buses Cooperative president Charles Mercieca said yesterday it transpired from the meeting the cooperative had with Transport Minister Austin Gatt on Thursday that the government wanted the complete liberalisation of the sector. This was not what had been agreed with the ministry just before strike action was halted.

However, the cooperative would be discussing the minister's proposals next week and if there was any way that an agreement could be reached, the cooperative would work towards it.

The public transport strike, which started on Monday last week, was stopped the following Thursday after nine requests, five of which were accepted by Dr Gatt, were made by the Public Transport Federation.

The demands that were accepted were that taxi, mini-buses of 14 seats+ and Blue Grotto boat licenses would only be increased if necessary and following consultations and that emergency licences which had been issued during the strike would be withdrawn. The minister also accepted to start giving buses their insurance subsidy as soon as the service returned to normal.

The government however refused to enter into a contract with the Public Transport Association on public transport routes, saying this was not permissible according to EU rules.

The federation had also asked that the Park and Ride service would again be given to the Mini-buses Cooperative but the minister said that this was not acceptable because it had to be given by tender according to financial regulations.The government withdraw the contract after the cooperative stopped the service during the strike.

The minister also refused to withdraw the fines imposed on the Public Transport Association during the strike.