Mediation needed to stop cab war at North Sydney: NSW Taxi Council

THE taxi war erupting in North Sydney needs to be resolved through discussions between drivers, the local council and the community.

Roy Wakelin-King attends a World Youth Day meeting in Sydney yesterday. Picture: Lisa Williams

THE taxi war erupting in North Sydney between cab drivers, business owners and police needs to be resolved through discussions with North Sydney Council and the community, the head of a major industry body says.

NSW Taxi Council chief executive Roy Wakelin-King said there needed to be a compromise between access to kerb space and the expectations of taxi customers.

“We do recognise that kerb space in this part of the city is very competitive but taxis would want to set down and pick up here because that’s where customers want to go and be picked up from,” he said.

North Sydney police booking taxis in Berry St.

Last week the Mosman Daily revealed that an attack on a ranger last year in Berry St was part of an attempt by a cabbie to defend the strip as the taxi drivers’ patch.

POLICE CRACK DOWN ON VIOLENT CABBIES

Local business owners have also hit out at taxi drivers for parking unlawfully in precious metered parking and loading spaces.

Drink Better Wine co-owner Jules Gutierrez says illegally parked taxis have become a huge issue.

Mr Wakelin-King said a team from the NSW Taxi Council would approach North Sydney Council and business owners in the area in an attempt to resolve the problem.

HAVE YOU BEEN AFFECTED BY THE ISSUE?

“This has been an increasing problem. As more taxis are on the road there is a greater demand for taxi space,” he said.

Other areas of Sydney have trialled sharing mail zones and permitting taxis to stop in no stopping zones for short periods of time.

“We would like to see those initiatives adopted where there are challenges around access to taxi space,” Mr Wakelin-King said.