Taxis adequate for disabled, says Blue Star

Press, 27 February 1986, Page 5

Taxis adequate for disabled, says Blue Star

Taxis can provide an adequate service for disabled persons, according to Mr Kevin Murphy, general manager of Blue Star Taxis.

Mr Murphy was reacting to comments made on Tuesday by a member of the Christchurch Transport Board, Mrs Carole Evans. Referring to a proposal to halt the board’s "Be Moble” bus service for the disabled, she said there were insufficient taxis modified for disabled persons to cope with the demand.

Mr Murphy said the three, modified taxis run by his own company and Gold Band Taxis gave a more flexible service than the “Be Mobile” buses. The “Be Mobile” buses required a fortnight’s notice and these buses ran only between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., he said. By contrast, a taxi for the disabled could be booked on the day of travel, with the exception of peak travelling times in the morning and late afternoon.

Mr Murphy noted the high cost a passenger of the “Be Mobile” buses, and said taxis could have done the job more cheaply. Disabled persons were entitled to a 25 per cent reduction on taxi fares, which made taxis more accessible, he said. Mrs Evans said yesterday that she had tried to book a taxi for disabled friends about Christmas, but found the taxis were booked three days in advance.

Three disabled-person taxis were not enough for a city the size of Christchurch, particularly if the “Be Mobile" . buses were also phased out. Mrs Evans said she did not mind whether taxis or the buses carried disabled persons, as long as there was an adequate service. On the high cost of the “Be Mobile” scheme, she said the 25 per cent subsidy for taxi use could be doubled soon, and this also would be paid for by the ratepayer and taxpayer.