Annual Report 2008-2009 - Department of Transport

16
Taxi rank marshals
Experience in other Australian cities has shown that staffed, secure, and
organised taxi ranks can improve passenger behaviour, encourage more
taxi drivers into high-demand areas, encourage taxi sharing, provide priority
access for maxi taxis and thereby reduce waiting times for taxi customers.
Taxi rank marshals are currently being trialled at the Milligan Street and
Fremantle secure taxi ranks in cooperation with the Taxi Council of Western
Australia.
Rank marshals help security guards maintain order by allocating patrons to
taxis, assisting taxi drivers with activities such as explaining and collecting
up-front deposits, informing patrons about fares, and organising unrelated
passengers that are heading in the same direction into groups (if they agree).
This trial commenced in June 2009.
www.transport.wa.gov.au/taxis
Secure taxi ranks in suburban areas
The Government is committed to delivering an efficient transport system
that includes the highest standards of performance and safety around taxi
services, particularly at times of high demand. It acknowledges that local
governments (LGs) also have an instrumental role in the delivery of effective
taxi services from taxi ranks, particularly in the entertainment precincts.
LGs have been invited to participate in a pro-active new Secure Taxi Rank
Extension Trial (STRET) program that will see the expansion of secure
taxi rank infrastructure beyond its current locations of Milligan Street and
Fremantle. The primary aims of the program are to:
• encourage LGs to consider the benefits of secure taxi ranks at peak late
night entertainment areas;
• assist LGs in the funding of security guards and security infrastructure
at taxi ranks that operate during the peak late night entertainment
times on Friday and Saturday nights;
• improve taxi customer service levels through reduced waiting times by
attracting more taxis to the entertainment precincts; and
• create a safer late night environment by facilitating the quick dispersal
of potentially unruly night-time revellers from night-time hotspots.
STRET funding is available to Perth Metropolitan LGs for a trial period of
one year from 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010 to co-fund security guards and
combinations of security infrastructure such as good lighting, CCTV or
webcams, signage and barriers.
A pool of funds is available for 50 per cent co-funding and consists of:
• $300,000 towards security guard(s) and possibly a rank marshal; and
• $250,000 towards combinations of security infrastructure.
www.transport.wa.gov.au/taxis