Galway taxis fear a free-for-all as regulator leaves town

 There are fears that the taxi ranks in Galway will return to a ‘free for all’ after it emerged that the current taxi regulator for the city will no longer be in place in a month’s time.

 When the taxi regulator was appointed to the city early last year it had the effect of cleaning up the industry in that around 30 illegal operators disappeared from the ranks.

But now there is some uncertainty about the continued presence of a taxi regulator as the company who provided this service has lost that contract to a firm which provided a much cheaper option.

The taxi industry in Galway city feel that the new company will be unable to recruit a suitable new taxi regulator at a much reduced salary, and that this will result in a new wave of illegal drivers.

The matter is to be raised in the Dáil by Galway West TD Noel Grealish.

The National Transportation Agency appointed a private company to provide taxi regulators to various regions in the country, including Galway.

That contract came up for renewal recently and the company was replaced by another firm who have promised to provide taxi regulators at a much cheaper cost. However, Galway taxi sources say that the new company have difficulties in recruiting people because of the lower wages being offered.

It is also believed that the company approached the existing taxi regulator in Galway city with a view to employing him but because of the relatively poor wages and conditions, he was not tempted.

In a statement, Gerry Corbett and Henry Hegarty of Taxi Drivers Galway said that the current taxi regulator was doing a fantastic job and was very approachable.

“What has happened is an absolute disgrace because it opens the door for illegal fly-by-night operators to queue up on the ranks again when we were happy that this situation had been sorted out.”

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