Taxi shortage adds to lock-out problems
An implementation committee has been established to address issues arising from the new lock-out laws, with transport a main focus.
The first two weekends of lock-out laws saw many struggling to get home from Oxford St as clubbers vied with Christmas partygoers for taxis around changeover.
I knew there was no way I was going to get a taxi from Oxford St because of the number of people, one Friday night clubber.
It seemed like the taxi drivers were handpicking jobs, which only made people frustrated and angry. Whether this had to do with changeover I’m not sure, but it would be interesting to really see the root causes of violence on Oxford St. Is it this combination of drunkenness and pent-up anger causing people to lash out?
Both the NSW Minister for Transport, David Campbell, and the NSW Taxi Service have denied that this warrants an increase in taxi numbers.
People need to think ahead and work out the alternatives to catching a taxi home, Campbell told Sydney Star Observer.
There is extremely high demand for taxis in December and we are putting on extra bus and ferry services to operate over summer, but a lot of this must rest on personal responsibility.
Putting more cabs on the road would also unfairly disadvantage cab drivers, the NSW Taxi Service said.
Taxis were never designed to be the total transport solution for Sydney, a spokeswoman said.
Taxi drivers are not salaried workers and they need to be able to make enough money in December to sustain them through January. If you don’t allow them to make the money in the busy times and throw a whole lot of taxis on to the road you make the busy times quieter and the quiet times even quieter and … it won’t be viable for a lot of drivers.
Have your say: Should there be more public transport options in Darlinghurst?
Well Most people say taxis, look at Uk! They had 11:00 pm last orders in pubs and 2pm at night clubs and that meant people drinking quickly to get drunck in the time frames and everyone piling out of the clubs at the same time. Australia thinks they have binge drinking problems ha nothing compared to england before the 24 hr laws came back in… Fights people pissed up and. Not being able to controll their actions…. I’ve been in oz for 5 years now and tonight was the 1st time I have Been out and seen so many people queuing for cabs, drunk and beyond control… Don’t get me wrong there is always one or two drunk to the max… But tonight sat 28/3/09 was a fing night mare I walking 15 mins to get a bus from kings cross, I have never in 5 years seen crowds like that at 2 am in kings cross… Didn’t see many police… There should be there like at music festivals… it was like I was back in englad in 90’s shocking….. 24 hr bars best thing as people leave when they want and don’t binge drink… Binge drinking is drinking too much too quickly… There is a difference between drinking slowly and not knowing when to stop!
My advice for people catching taxis in Oxford street is to keep watch and when you see one pull up and drop passengers off, quickly approach the taxi and in my experience 90% of the time the taxi driver will be happy to take you where you need to go. If you try and wave a taxi down or call one from a mobile phone or payphone on Oxford street you might be waiting a while.
It was bad planning for the lock out time to be at the same time as taxi change over time. I bet you anything the people who randomly picked the lock out time drive their own cars everywhere.
If I was a Taxi Driver, I wouldnt go anywhere near Oxford Street on a Friday or Saturday Night, too Dangerous, too Scary. Before you start comlaining that they are choosy who they pick up, spare a thought for them some time and be in their shoes! If they charge higher, then they have the right to!!!
I agree with the plenty sitting at the taxi base, I guess we need one at Oxfrd st, however, I dont think that would fix the problem as Taxi’s wont stop there due to all the drunks pouring out of the clubs.
Organise a private driver – its easier and safe.
Well its time the trains and buses started to run 24 hours on the weekends.
Museum railway station doesnt open until 430am on weekends,closes at 1230am so between 1230 and 430am no trains AND thats the goverment.
Taxis are a private business so you cannot blame them for picking and choosing,imagine yourself driving a cab down oxford st on 2am on a sunday morning ,would you stop for 4 young guys with their shirts off holding out a bottle of beer or would you stop for 4 mature aged guys dressed sensibly? The point is you have to do a very quick risk assessment,a wrong pick up could mean not getting paid or being assaulted,if you dont think theres another taxis on weekends then do us all a favour and go and drive one yourself.Theres still plenty sitting idle at the taxi bases i pass.
Why is it my right to sell my home for as little or as much as I can get due to supply and demand, but not right for taxi drivers to raise or lower their prices depending on supply and demand? Surely people getting priced out of the housing market is more of an outrage than some drunk not being able to get a ride home as quick as they can. Young gay people aren’t able to buy homes in the inner city that is close to their community, and are instead forced to either be locked into the ever more competitive rent market, or forced to live in the outer suburbs where their lifestyle and safety is seriously compromised. Please start reporting the real issues instead of taking the Daily Telegraph approach to journalism.
Sydneys transport still runs on a 1930s system when the population was only 1 million. Some mastermind then decided to get rid of the Trams. Forward to 2009 and what have we got? A city that cares more about Heritage listing, Fine Structures and what the Popes impression of the city is. Dont worry about how the people of Sydney can get around their city and feel safe! oh no! were merely nuisance Rodents.
“It seemed like the taxi drivers were handpicking jobs, which only made people frustrated and angry” – I don’t blame them, if I was a taxi driver I would do the same, I mean would YOU stop for a bunch of drunk swaying people to take home?, not only will you’re safety be at risk but also there is a risk if you will get payed or not.
I agree with Chris – if Taxis are not the transport solution then what is then when there are no trains, busses or anything else for that matter past 2pm? I am starting to get embarrassed of our once fantastic and free city. Furthermore they are going to increase charges for public transport in early 2009 – great more charges for no service. Come on Sydney get it together.
Heh, this is the dumbest thing I have heard in awhile. Taxis are not a transport solution? So what exactly is a transport solution then since there are no buses or trains in the morning? I am new to Sydney and all I can say is imagine the other major cities of the world behaving like dear Sydney does? Imagine London taxis picking and choosing their fares? Sydney is just crap for taxis, pure and simple, its a backward poorly managed system.
Taxi shortage??? How about calling the title of the article “People overload”?? Everyone knows that trying to get a taxi at change over times is difficult, particularly during Christmas time when every man (and woman) and their dog leaves their car at home so they can get drunk! Perhaps the real cause again for these problems is alcohol!!
Its also not easy for a Taxi Driver at that time of the morning. Being a Club district, They should have long time ago built a monorail or Tram system to get people to the City Centre where at that time of the morning theres Taxis Galore just waiting along Park Street.