Uber driver calls for access to taxi stand outside popular Christchurch nightlife spot

Monday, 21 August 2017

Christchurch Uber Driver Matt Foot says he should be allowed to use the Baretta/Empire taxi stand on St Asaph St to drop off and pick up passengers, as it is dangerous for drunk people to be crossing the road late on weekend nights to get to his Uber.

A Christchurch Uber driver is calling for access to a taxi stand near several popular CBD bars, claiming it will be for the safety of his customers.

Matt Foot was given a $60 fine by the Christchurch City Council after he dropped a passenger off at the taxi stand outside Baretta and Empire bars at 10.35pm on Saturday, August 5.

Foot believes the taxi stand should be turned into a pick-up and drop-off area, saying it is dangerous having to collect or deliver his passengers, who are often young and have been drinking, in other places on the busy road.

He said he had the same passenger endorsements a taxi driver had, and believed legal Uber drivers should be able to use taxi stands around the city.

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'It's a changing world and it's unfair for taxi drivers to have exclusive rights for sections of streets that are owned by everybody.'

Since receiving the fine, he had to drop passengers off on the other side of the busy road, which was dangerous due to the volume of traffic and intoxicated state of some passengers, he said.

'I just want a fair playing field for myself but, more importantly, for the safety of my riders.'

The small passenger service industry is about to undergo several changes on October 1, when the Land Transport Amendment Act 2017 comes into effect.

Under the new legislation, taxi stands will be renamed small passenger service vehicle stands. Any driver in any vehicle with the correct passenger endorsements will be able to use the stands while they wait for jobs.

Currently, only passenger service vehicles with external signage – including the company name, phone number, address and fleet number – can use taxi stands.

Foot drives for Uber on weekend nights to make a bit of extra money to help out his son, who is on a student exchange in Vienna, and to save for a trip the duo are taking around Europe early next year.

'And it's a lot of fun. I have so many laughs doing it on a Saturday night.'

He said the fine really cut into his earnings.

The council issued 14 fines to unauthorised vehicles using taxi stands from July 2016 to June 2017.

Council transport operations manager Aaron Haymes said the council was not considering changing the St Asaph St taxi stand due to the imminent changes to the Land Transport Amendment Act.

He said the council was liaising with the NZ Transport Agency to better understand how the changes should be applied.

'If there are likely to be delays implementing the changes, then we will reconsider the possibility of an interim solution.'