Pending approval from Edinburgh City Council's licensing committee, a plan to provide taxi passengers with free condoms could go into effect as early as January. A U.S.-based company has provided Festival City Cars, which has a fleet of 220 taxis, with 5,000 condoms to hand out. "It seems sensible that the cabbies, if they're asked by the passenger, would make such facilities available," David Coutts, an FCC manager, said of the Safe Ride plan. The Family Planning Association in Scotland welcomed the idea. "People don't think as much as they should about the issues of safer sex, so any extra help has to be great thing," said FPA spokesperson Tim Streets. However, the Catholic Church in Scotland denounced the campaign, saying it would encourage promiscuity. Talks have also been taking place about a similar plan in Glasgow.

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