Fans face huge tram queues as govt warns taxi drivers over price gouging ahead of the Grand Prix
As thousands of revheads pack onto trams for the Grand Prix, the state government has warned taxi drivers they will take action if crowds are priced out of a ride home.
Victoria
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F1 fans faced massive queues as they packed onto CBD trams ahead of the first day of the Grand Prix.
Thousands of revheads were held up by a monster line as they streamed into the CBD on Friday on their way to the Albert Park circuit.
Despite extra services, the lines, which were monitored by police, snaked for over 100m outside Southern Cross Station.
The hefty queues come as the state government revealed it is considering changing laws that allow taxi drivers to barter with passengers amid fears of price gouging at this weekend’s Grand Prix.
Roads Minister Ben Carroll on Friday conceded Formula 1 fans would have to rely on the goodwill of drivers to avert exorbitant fares outside the Albert Park circuit.
It comes months after the Victorian Taxi Association slammed greedy drivers for profiteering during the Australian Open, with VTA director Peter Valentine in January warning it would happen again at the F1.
Since 2017, drivers have been allowed to switch off the meter to negotiate prices with passengers in a move designed to level the playing field with Uber, which uses a surcharge system based on demand.
But Mr Carroll said it could be time to review that rule with Grand Prix-goers this weekend forced to bank on drivers’ “politeness”.
“What we have asked is … where the taxi driver does work with a passenger and they can’t come to an agreement on price, that they do default to the meter,” Mr Carroll said.
“We’re encouraging all taxi drivers picking up passengers or taking passengers to the Grand Prix to go to the meter first.
“The legislation does allow them, like Uber, to just refuse the meter if they so wish.
“So I’m having a look at that very closely and seeing if it is time to review that.
“We gave the taxi industry what they wanted — an equal and fair equivalence with Uber — but it may be time to change that to make sure that, at the end of the day, the metre comes back and is the first port of call if you are getting in a cab.”
Mr Carroll said the weekend posed an opportunity for the taxi industry to show it can play a “customer service ambassador role”.
Taxi service 13 Cabs has backed a review into laws that allow drivers to turn meters off and negotiate, saying it was leaving too many customers confused and disgruntled.
The taxi company said its ranks outside Albert Park over the weekend would be monitored by marshals in a bid to ensure drivers use their meters.
“We encourage independent taxi drivers and rideshare to do the same to stop their appalling surge charging,” a 13 Cabs spokesman said.
“The Government deregulated the industry in 2017, which means not only can drivers in Victoria refuse a fare, but they can negotiate a fare – putting them on the same playing field as rideshare.
“However, while we are supportive of a lot of the reforms, we believe it is time for the government to tighten up the regulations to help avoid passenger confusion and inconvenience.”
The spokesman reiterated that customers could use the 13 Cabs app to lock in a fixed fare rather than having to barter with drivers after hopping into the car.
“This means the price of the fare does not move from when it was booked – even if the traffic is bad, it’s a public holiday or a Sunday.
“You know all about the surge charging by rideshare where people end up paying ridiculous prices. This does not happen with us.”
Mr Carroll, whose portfolio also includes public transport, spoke on Friday to announce cheaper fares for V/Line train trips were now in effect.
Daily travel prices are now capped at $9.20 across the state, meaning commutes to and from the country will cost the same as trips within metropolitan Melbourne.
It comes as the state’s net debt balloons above $100bn, with plans to lay off thousands of public servants looming.
But Mr Carroll said he was confident the government could still afford to slash V/Line fares, a move promised before last year’s state election.
“We can afford this (and) indeed it was budgeted for,” he said.
“This is actually a very sensible measure when you compare it to the $2 (fare) that was offered by the opposition at the last election.
It takes away that surcharge that was hitting regional Victorians when they went through the outer suburbs.”
Mr Carroll insisted V/Line services were well placed to accommodate more commuters with capacity “tracking at about 79 per cent”.
“We have about 20% extra capacity there. We have also put in place a range of contingencies, particularly focused on term one school holidays, but we’re very confident and very comfortable,” he said.
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