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30th May 2018
09:43am BST
The committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport will meet with Transport Minister Shane Ross on Wednesday morning to discuss the recent proposals for late night rural bus services and regulation of rickshaws.
The Minister looks set to propose a ban on the use of the rickshaws and has confirmed that he is in two minds over banning the rickshaws entirely or trying to go about regulating them on Dublin streets.
Regulating these rickshaws would mean that it'd essentially be like driving a car or bus and that a driver licence, vehicle registration and licensing and a rickshaw-type NCT and tax would be needed as well as standard fares much like a taxi.
Committee Chairman Fergus O’Dowd said that:
“Rural isolation and rural depopulation are key issues which must be addressed in our society and the provision of accessible and efficient public transport is a key element in tackling the problem.
"The Minister recently announced new evening and late night bus services which will operate in a number of rural areas on a trial basis from next month. The Committee will be keen to discuss these proposals in greater detail when we meet with the Minister.
"Of interest will be the various routes, counties and locations chosen, how counties and communities can apply to be included in the service, the frequency of the services and how they will operate in practice.
"The Committee will also address the issue of regulation of rickshaws which are now a popular form of transport in Dublin and a number of cities around the country.
"However, safety concerns have been raised around the vehicles leading to calls from some quarters for them to be regulated. Last year, the Minister asked the National Transport Authority to conduct a review of the use and operation of rickshaws throughout Ireland and the potential for the regulation and licensing of that industry. The Committee will be looking for an update on this issue.”
The meeting starts on Wednesday morning at 9:30am.
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