The Antwerp city council is likely to give the green light for new city regulations for taxi services. Based on the design texts, the city seems to be embarking on a large experiment, the side effects of which are insufficiently known today. The Antwerp Provincial Taxi Union (APTU) therefore requests that a recurrent impact analysis be carried out quickly, so that adverse consequences in the areas of nuisance, services and local jobs can be tackled in a timely manner.
The new city regulations for taxi services, which will be voted today by the city council of the City of Antwerp, will follow the entry into force of the new Flemish taxi decree. Although APTU agrees with the city that a renewal of the regulations was necessary to better reflect new trends in passenger transport, the Antwerp taxi organization warns of possible unwanted side effects for the Antwerp resident, for the customer and for the taxi drivers.
While the new Flemish taxi decree is already implementing far-reaching deregulation of the taxi sector, the City goes a step further. For example, the distinction between stand-by taxis and street taxis has been removed and anyone who so wishes can offer taxi services from all over Flanders from waiting places in Antwerp. In addition, taxis are no longer required to stand on a stand between two journeys. This can be done, as in eg. New York, London or Amsterdam, generate an oversupply of taxis, so that the recruitment of customers creates tensions between drivers and causes (traffic) nuisance.
Although APTU is positive about a free tariff determination, which can be adjusted according to demand peaks and troughs, the organization warns of possible abuses and fears certain dumping practices of multinational platforms that will price local providers off the market. It is well known that such platforms pursue a monopoly in order to impose higher prices on the customer afterwards.
It is also remarkable that the City deliberately relinquishes a number of levers - which ensure the quality of the service - such as eg. the obligation to use credit card readers and the mandatory street knowledge. Those powers are shifted to the Flemish Region.
Finally, APTU also notes that these new regulations are coming when the Antwerp taxi sector is already facing major challenges. In recent months, for example, the corona virus has already resulted in an average drop in turnover of 90% and, as a result of the new Flemish Tax Decree, the sector is expected to invest in more environmentally friendly - but much more expensive - cars.
APTU fears that the independent Antwerp taxi drivers (who are not affiliated with a telephone exchange or app) will be the first victims of this ultra-free market situation. But it cannot be ruled out that the larger Antwerp taxi companies and their salaried drivers, the city residents and customers will also suffer serious disadvantages.
