Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
PLAY FARE ON TAXIS IN BUS LANES WARNS UNION
Stormont bid ‘will lead to traffic chaos’
A UNION has accused Stormont roads chiefs of “appeasing the private taxi lobby” over plans to let them in bus lanes.
The Department for Infrastructure has announced plans for a 12-month trial that will see “Class A [private hire] taxis use bus lanes on the Belfast Rapid Transit routes”.
They insisted the decision is necessary to establish whether or not allowing cabs in these areas will have a negative or positive impact on plans to improve public transport in the city.
Union Unite, which represents bus drivers, described the plans as a “threat to the BRT project and City bus services”.
Regional officer Davy Thompson said: “This is a shocking revelation. More than £100million has been spent on the BRT project and now because of an organised lobby of private taxi operators the integrity of this investment is to be cast aside.
“It is imperative for the success of this project, and to deliver the step-change we need to public transport provision in our city, that only buses be allowed to access the dedicated BRT bus lanes. The BRT buses are much longer than the standard city bus so the impact of taxis blocking lanes will be dramatic as these vehicles are unable to change lanes.
“What is most inexcusable is that in an apparently craven attempt to ‘buy-off ’ the objections of a well-connected, private sector lobby, unelected Department of Infrastructure officials have offered to open all bus lanes to Class A taxis across the city.
“This will have a very significant and adverse impact on the travelling public.
“It will mean increased congestion and pollution in a city with already one of the worst congestion problems in the UK and where every year hundreds suffer chronic illnesses from car fumes.”
A Department for Infrastructure spokesman said: “In terms of bus journey times and speeds the findings of the trial were largely inconclusive with no real impact recorded.
“The Department has initiated work to undertake a more extensive trial lasting 12 months which will extend to all bus lanes where certain taxis are currently permitted.”