Moves to help taxi services
Taxi licences may be tendered for franchise or cars rented from the Government under a series of proposals to go to public consultation next month.
The Transport Advisory Committee yesterday said the proposals were among several suggestions from the industry and experts on improving taxi services.
Other proposals in the study, which will run for two months, include issuing individual licences to drivers or maintaining the status quo.
A Transport Branch spokesman maintained the move was not necessarily to curb licence speculation.
The industry has complained of licences being sold second hand for up to $3.5 million, despite their $1.7 million price tag at the last tender in September 1994. Drivers and operators fear licences may rise to $4 million by year's end.
'This study is simply to find ways of further improving services, rather than just curbing speculation,' the spokesman said.
The Transport Department is conducting its own studies into speculation, a topic also brought before the Ombudsman this month.
