TAXI drivers are obliged to service all areas of Orange, with black-banning parts of the city against the NSW Taxi Council regulations, says CEO Roy Wakelin-King.
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Mr Wakelin-King’s comments are at odds with those of Taxi Cabs of Orange chairman Michael Phillips, who admitted there were areas of Orange the majority of drivers would not go to late at night.
Mr Phillip said drivers were becoming increasingly cautious after an elderly taxi driver was assaulted in Orange on Saturday night, making him the fourth driver to be attacked in the past 12 months.
Despite the incident, Mr Wakelin-King said all Orange residents should be able to have the services of a taxi when needed.
“Taxis are an important part of the overall public transport systems and as such we provide a universal service,” he said.
“If there is a place that is of concern to us (taxi drivers) due to repeated incidents, then the appropriate course of action is, as advised, to deal with matter through the NSW police.
“I will be discussing the recent incidents in Orange with the NSW Police as well as our local taxi network.”
However, Mr Wakelin-King said it was important for taxi drivers to manage their risks.
His comments came after Mr Phillips said the majority of his drivers would not travel to parts of Glenroi and Bowen after 11pm.
He said the top end of Spring Street and South Terrace were approached with extreme caution, particularly at night.
Mr Phillips said it was a shame the people who lived in those areas were poorly serviced, “but it’s up to the driver if they want to go to certain areas or not.”
However, he said drivers’ safety was the most important issue facing taxi drivers today.
“It’s up to the drivers to ensure they don’t expose themselves to danger,” Mr Phillips said.
“In real terms this is a workplace health and safety issue and you can’t send someone into an area where you know there is a risk.
“We always advise drivers if there are problems in certain areas.”
Mr Wakelin-King said while driving taxis could be a challenge the taxi industry had introduced a raft of safety practices and devices to minimise risk.
“As a general trend, assaults against taxi drivers are decreasing,” he said.
“This has come about as a consequence of a number of initiatives and investments such as security cameras, alarms systems, training and security procedures.”
tracey.prisk@fairfaxmedia.com.au
