NSW: Extra cabs for festive season

AAP General News (Australia)
12-23-2005
NSW: Extra cabs for festive season

SYDNEY, Dec 23 AAP - The NSW government is making it easier to get a cab over the Christmas-New
Year holiday by reissuing licences which put more taxis on the road during the early hours.

The government today said it would reissue peak-availability licences for another year,
meaning 114 extra taxis would be on the road each day between noon and 5am (AEDT).

Transport Minister John Watkins said there are 20 per cent more taxi trips during the
festive season, accounting for one million extra journeys.

"During the holiday period in Sydney, hundreds of thousands of revellers are out looking
for cabs - particularly in the early hours of Friday, Saturday and public holiday mornings,"

he said in a statement.

"Our metropolitan fleet of almost 5,000 taxis is inundated with additional phone, rank
and hailed cab fares during December."

Drivers of wheelchair-access taxis would get an extra $10 for each wheelchair hiring
on Christmas Day, he said.

The government also would provide new secure ranks at Manly, Wagga Wagga, Albury and Griffith.

AAP dcr/nf/rj/de

KEYWORD: TAXIS

2005 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.