SINGAPORE — Four years after implementing rules allowing taxis to only pick up or drop off passengers at taxi stands or along side roads in the Central Business District (CBD), the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has all but scrapped them, following feedback that commuters had a tough time hailing cabs in the CBD during morning and evening peak hours.

From January, taxi drivers will only be restricted from stopping in full-day bus lanes and regular bus lanes during peak hours, as well as specific roads which are dangerous for all vehicles to stop at any time, such as Finlayson Green, High Street, Orchard Link and Esplanade Drive.

Welcoming the move yesterday, the National Taxi Association (NTA) said in a statement: “The restrictions in the CBD area may have contributed to the experience faced by commuters.”

It further suggested reviewing the Electronic Road Pricing system and allowing taxis to pick up and drop off passengers at bus stops — provided they do not compromise safety of commuters and other vehicles — to improve taxi availability.

Said NTA Advisor Ang Hin Kee, who is also a Member of Parliament and sits on the Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport: “With the easing of the CBD restrictions, we are confident that commuters and our drivers will be able to address these unmet demands in the CBD area more comfortably.”

Taxi drivers TODAY spoke to supported the latest move, calling it a win-win situation for service providers and consumers.

Taxi driver Ong Hian Teck, 57, said drivers would be able to provide commuters with the service they are looking for — to move from point A to B — instead of them having to walk to or from taxi stands, which “defeats the purpose”.

Another driver, Patrick Teo, 49, citing a “bad experience” when he had to lock the doors of his vehicle to prevent a tourist from hopping on at a traffic light, said: “I could only wind down the window to tell him to go to a taxi stand. So this (the eased restrictions) will really help tourists, the handicapped, those with children or those with a lot of luggage.”

With the rules eased, he can also drop tourists at their hotels’ doorsteps, such as the Hotel 81 along Chinatown, which does not have a driveway.

“I had to send the tourists to the nearest taxi stand which is at OG and they had to drag their luggage all the way to the hotel,” he said.

Commuters said the relaxed rules will be more convenient, but some were concerned it would result in a free-for-all situation when hailing cabs.

“If there is a taxi stand, then priority would be given to those who queued, but imagine if you’re standing further away and someone down the road comes along, it would be chaotic,” said programme coordinator Rebecca Lim.

Agreeing, PR associate Foo Chen Chin suggested that the rules could be relaxed for drop offs, with pick ups only at taxi stands.