Taxi Driver Online

Liverpool Daily Echo

September 21, 2007, Friday

BARCLAYCAB;

New chip and pin device for taxis

HUNDREDS of Liverpool cabs are to set up a special 'chip and pin' so people can pay for their fares by credit card.

The new scheme follows a pilot project over the summer involving a dozen cabs located at John Lennon Airport, Lime Street and city hotels.

Organiser CabCard Services says the pilot was given a thumbs up by both cabbies and by passengers who are used to paying for everyday goods and services with plastic.

They now expect 100 cabs to have the card machines by the end of next week, with 200 more by the end of October.

Another 300 are on a waiting list.

The CabCard initiative was officially rolled out with support from council leader Warren Bradley.

He said: "We're expecting to attract an extra 1.7 million visitors next year and it's yet another example of how we are using the latest technology to make sure everyone's stay in the city is as easy and enjoyable as possible."

Richard Akitt, director of CabCard Services, said: "We congratulate Liverpool's hackney driver community for their foresight and support.

"Larger hotels have made it clear to us their guests want to use a card and not cash when arriving and moving around the city by cab."

Neil Peterson, the Culture Company's head of Liverpool Welcome said: "The introduction of a facility for passengers to pay their fares via debit or credit card is an important addition to the services that drivers are able to offer both visitors and local people."

Organisers say they expect the new system to be popular with tourists

The technology used is UK bank accredited and secure.
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