Reviewing Queenstown taxi rank permits is, for now, off council’s agenda.
Last week Mountain Scene revealed the resort’s three major cab companies — Queenstown Taxis, Corporate Cabs and Green Cabs — were refusing to renew their $500-a-pop permits with council, which allow them to operate from CBD taxi ranks.
Instead, from this month, they’ll be available for hire from their call centres.
The companies have pulled rank after an apparent break down in communication with council, which gave them just 48 hours’ notice to renew the collective 88 permits of the 150 available last month, issues around their price — increasing from $100 a year, in play since October 2020 — and their value.
While last week council said staff intended to present an item to next month’s infrastructure committee, that’s now off the table.
A council spokesperson says given the committee’s meeting schedule, it was pointed out to the parties council needed to press on with the renewals and, if required, put an agenda item forward looking at ‘‘increasing the number of permits’’.
‘‘However, due to the major taxi companies not proceeding with renewals, there is no longer a need to raise the 150-permit limit and no agenda item will be put forward to the infrastructure committee.
‘‘Should this change, then we’ll need to reopen discussions and move forward with an adjusted timeline.’’
Queenstown Taxis managing director and New Zealand Small Passenger Service Vehicle Association president Grant Scannell declined to
comment, while Corporate Cabs boss Cameron Allison couldn’t be reached by deadline.
Meantime, a council finance team member says the fees, or revenue, from the permitting scheme are being used for the admin costs of providing the permits, providing taxi stands — including notional lost parking income — and enforcement to ensure taxi stands are used by
those with permits.
Scene estimates since the bylaw was introduced in 2019, council’s collected almost $200,000 from the permit scheme.
