A Turkish Cypriot driver was fined €250 for picking up a fare at Larnaca Airport without having a licence to carry fee-paying passengers, Phileleftheros reported on Wednesday.
Taxi drivers at Larnaca Airport have complained of unfair competition from taxi drivers as well as employees of hotels and casinos from the Turkish occupied north who arrange to pick up tourists from the airport to take them across the Green Line.
The paper said that taxis and mini-buses with Turkish Cypriot licence plates and the T covered over, wait a short distance from the airport – and not where the other taxis are parked. On being contacted by the tourists on their arrival, they pick them up.
Yesterday, Nicosia district court fined a Turkish Cypriot €250 who picked up three clients from Larnaca Airport to take them to occupied Kyrenia through Ayios Dhometios checkpoint for €80.
The 50 year old driver had crossed over into the government controlled areas with a car he declared as being of private use, but which he then used as a taxi. He was therefore breaking the relevant law which requires a special licence to carry passengers for a fee.
The man was reported by a traffic policeman who stopped him for checks.
Phileleftheros said that after yesterday’s decision, traffic police will step up checks and report offenders.
https://in-cyprus.com/turkish-cypriot-taxis-create-serious-problems-to-local-taxi-drivers/
