25 May 2017
The Minister for Infrastructure, Deputy Eddie Noel, has expressed his disappointment in the actions taken by the rank taxi drivers to go on a lightning strike today and has taken action to mitigate the situation.
The Minister has legal powers to allow private hire vehicles to operate from existing taxi ranks by designating them as part-time ranks.
The Minister has designated both the airport and harbour ranks as part-time ranks with immediate effect. This will enable private hire vehicles to pick up from the ranks but they must charge rank fares.
Other contingency plans put in place by the Department for Infrastructure include posting staff from Driver and Vehicle Standards to Jersey Airport to assist passengers and to liaise with LibertyBus to put on additional buses as required.
Deputy Noel said “I am really disappointed that the rank taxis have decided to withdraw their services today. I am particularly disappointed that they have done this with so little respect to the public by having given them no notice of their actions and therefore no opportunity to make other arrangements for what could be essential travel.
“Like the rest of the public, I first heard of this through the media and I don’t know how long it is expected to last. We have been talking to the taxi industry over several years and we have been trying to bring about much needed change through evolution. What we have been trying to do has been in the interests of the public, to provide them with the sort of service that customers expect in this day and age. It has not been an easy process.
"I hope that this action they have taken today will be short-lived and that they will resume normal service as quickly as possible.”
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