Gold Coast Airport, taxi drivers concerned for passenger safety

Gold Coast cabbies are fuming months after changes to Gold Coast Airport cab ranks came into effect with drivers raising safety concerns for accessibility access.

Gold Coast cabbies are fuming months after changes to Gold Coast Airport cab ranks came into effect with drivers raising safety concerns for accessibility access.

In February this year a new Uber zone took over the long serving cab rank outside domestic baggage reclaim – pushing taxis down to the international terminal 150m away.

Local taxi drivers who are already facing difficulty since the rise of Uber say they feel “pushed out” claiming a 40 per cent financial loss since the changes.

Local cab driver Kuldeep Gill said it was proving problematic for travellers with accessibility requirements, claiming many passengers are risking their safety just to get into a cab.

A man in a wheelchair uses the two way street to access a maxi taxi at the new taxi rank at Gold Coast Airport. Picture: Supplied

“Uber doesn’t have the permission to pick up wheelchair passengers – that’s only for maxi taxis,” he said.

Uber Assist offers rides to people who need additional assistance in a standard Uber vehicle – it does not cater for people in non-collapsible wheelchairs.

Mr Gill said he had witnessed people with disability having to travel along the two-way street where the new cab rank is located to get into a vehicle.

“These people are having to move along the road,” he said.

A car performs an illegal U-turn at the new taxi rank at Gold Coast Airport. Picture: Supplied

“There’s always people performing illegal U-turns there and there’s no side railing stopping kids from jumping onto the road – it is not safe.”

Taxi driver Yuvraj Singh said the rank now used for Uber had a loading area for wheelchairs.

“People can be loaded safely in the bay,” he said.

“It was very secure – no other car could come inside but over here (at the new location) there’s no loading bay making it very hard – there’s nothing we can do.”

Drivers say they feel "pushed out" after they were moved 150m from the original taxi rank at Gold Coast Airport, which has since made way for Uber. Picture: Supplied

A Gold Coast Airport spokesperson said the airport engaged with accessibility and wayfinding consultants to design a “solution that improves experiences for customers of all abilities”. “This included the construction of a dedicated access ramp within the new taxi pick-up zone, as well as one in the new Uber pick-up area outside domestic baggage reclaim (which is available for both taxi and rideshare use), and another at the northern end of the terminal for drop-offs.”

Accessible pick up Gold Coast Airport. Picture: Supplied by Gold Coast Airport

Gold Coast Airport entered into a commercial agreement with Uber last year - and the airport has trumpeted accessibility as being at the forefront of the new layout.

Mr Gill and Mr Singh said the changes were proving to be a nightmare for drivers and passengers.

“It’s a long way for people to drag luggage and there’s limited signage,” Mr Singh said.

“We heavily rely on airport jobs and now we’re waiting for three hours for a job – we can’t make our targets and it’s to the point where I’m looking for another job. I don’t know what’s going to happen – everybody is suffering.”