Ads ban blow to Galway taxis

Taxi drivers in the city are set to lose ‘nice little earner’ as advertising on their vehicles will be prohibited from March of next year.

The drivers will not even be allowed to display who they are actually working for which has been the source of much resentment among taxi operators.

A submission has been made from Galway taxi drivers to the Taxi Regulator’s Office in Dublin opposing the move – however, it appears that the directive has already been agreed upon.

It now means that taxi drivers cannot display who they are working for – be it Big O, Galway Taxis or Hailo, who have just arrived in the city over the past couple of months.

The taxi industry in Galway is outraged over the fact that they cannot display advertising signs. In some cases they would earn around €1,000 a year from advertising.

Gerry Corbett of Galway Taxi Drivers said that what was happening was a disgrace and that many members would lose out in terms of weekly income.

“We have been onto Galway City Council and the taxi regulator in relation to this matter and we have not got a favourable response.

“We are told that it distracts members of the public and that there is a health and safety issue involved. But this is nothing short of ridiculous.

“We are living hand to mouth at the moment,” Gerry Corbett admitted. “Now they are taking away the potential of advertising which is nothing short of ridiculous”.

For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.