The Fiji Taxi Union is calling on the Suva City Council to put a freeze on all new applications for taxi bases.

Union general secretary Rishi Ram said that SCC is now issuing close to 300 taxi base permits and has not done its feasibility study on the matter.

He said many taxi drivers have to work for more than 18 hours to meet the days demand due to too many taxis.

Meanwhile, the public relations officer for SCC Jillian Hicks, has confirmed that SCC is issuing 280 taxi bases which are issued to interested parties who had applied for it as consideration of age factor was taken into account and priority was given to retirees.

She said a lot of illegal taxi operations are taking place in the city which shows that there is a great demand for taxis and a recent survey by the Council shows that many taxis from Nausori, Nasinu, Lami and Navua are operating in the city.

Hick added that SCC is regularizing legal operation and does not want to see any illegal public transport operating from within the city boundary as it is also looking into the operations of mini buses and carrier operators.

She said the Council would like to allow taxi operators to have less than 2 taxi bases per family so that it can be spread across the community.

She is also calling on FTU's Rishi Ram to be proud that the industry is growing and should advise his members not to operate illegally.