THREE of Dublin's four local authorities will meet today to draw up plans to establish their own taximeter area.
Representatives from the Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, South County Dublin and Fingal authorities are meeting because of a failure to agree with Dublin Corporation on the issue of new taxi plates.
A majority on the city council has agreed to issue 100 plates (or licences), but the other authorities support issuing 200 or more.
Spokespeople for the three authorities say they "are still open" to further talks with the corporation but "are determined to see more taxis on the street as soon as possible".
Any agreed plan will have to be referred to each individual authority for approval.
Mr John Ussher, president of the Irish Taxi Federation, said the establishment of two taximeter areas "would be disastrous for the trade". He said it would make it even harder for passengers to find taxis at peak times.
The setting up of a dual taxi meter system would mean that drivers would operate from either of two areas, the city centre or the outer suburbs. Although taxis could travel into either area, they might not be able to pick up a customer in the area for which they had no licence.
Ms Olivia Mitchell, cathaoirleach of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Council, said two taxi areas would "not be ideal", but the three local authorities were "determined to go ahead".
Yesterday 18 members of the city council issued a letter saying they supported the issuing of 200 new taxi plates despite the recent majority vote against the proposal. The letter says "the taxi lobby is extremely strong and well organised and we therefore urge long-suffering taxi users to contact their local city councillor urging them to vote in favour of more taxis".
Fianna Fail and some independent members of the city council voted against the 200-plate motion earlier this month.
Mr Noel Ahern TD, a member of the city council, said Fianna Fail wanted "to keep the taxi drivers involved in the negotiations". He said "people should remember that the taxi drivers originally did not want any plates issued. We at least got them up to 100, which we regard as a first step".
He said the plan by the other local authorities would "help no one". He rejected comments from the other parties on the council that Fianna Fail members had been "pressured and successfully lobbied" by the taxi drivers.
The other authorities have all passed motions in support of plans to start a new taximeter area. Under the new plans the three authorities would be free to issue considerably more than 200 plates. The proposed cost of these would be £20,000 each. Many taxi drivers who hold a plate at present would have paid considerably more than that.
Mr William Soffe, manager with Fingal Council, said "a lot of taximen would feel the plate they purchased would be undervalued by these new plates".
The procedure for setting up a new taximeter area is unclear. The local authorities would have to consult the Garda and the city council and place a notice in the newspapers. It is estimated it would take at least three months before new taxis would be on the street.
Mr Ussher says his taxi federation is "looking at ways to improve the service". One initiative being considered is a possible amalgamation of Dublin's 12 radio-operated taxi firms into some kind of association.
Local authority representatives say this would be a "major move". A similar body called Computer Cabs operates in London.
Mr Christopher Humphreys, of the Association of Hackney Drivers, said that if the hackney service was properly regulated a lot more people would be able to gel transport at peak times. His association has written to the Minister for the Environment, Mr Howlin, asking that the ban on hackneys using radios be lifted.
A separate meeting is being arranged between the taxi federation and the three local authorities, although both sides are sceptical, about making progress.
Mr Stanley Laing, who chaired the committee that tried to reach agreement between the authorities, said particular attention to legal difficulties in the operation of the two areas was being considered.
. A late-night bus service to cater "for the thousands of Christmas party-goers who are denied customer-friendly transport home either by taxi or bus" should be provided immediately, according to Young Fine Gael. In a statement it called on the Minister for Transport, Mr Dukes, to consider this proposal for people who cannot "endure the endless queue for taxis".