Taxi Driver Online

Taxi war looming at Pitsea station rank

Echo

CAB wars are brewing on the rank outside Pitsea train station.

A row has kicked off over who is allowed to park in the station's taxi rank and pick up passengers.

Regulations say only cabs which are licensed at Hackney carriages can park there and tout for passengers.

Private hire mini-cabs can only pick up passengers who have booked in advance.

But Hackney carriage driver Ralph Morgan, a member of the Basildon Taxi Proprietors' Association, is angry because he says private hire drivers have been converging on the cab rank ever since signs were removed eight months ago.

He said: "It's become a bit naughty at Pitsea station.

"Before the refurbishment, the rank had a sign saying it was for taxis only.

"Now the private cabs are flooding in.

"Drivers are flashing lights at each other and there has been physical trouble."

Line markings and signs were removed when the station was refurbished and have yet to be replaced.

Mr Morgan said the association had even offered to pay for new signs to resolve heated disputes which are arising at busy times when "every fare counts".

He added: "We don't want to get into a situation where we have a taxi war in this town, but private hire cars have been ranking up there and we don't know whether they've been booked or not.

"We're getting desperate now."

Mr Morgan said he had been unable to find out who was responsible for replacing the markings. The Echo was told Basildon Council or Essex County Council were not responsible - it was down to Network Rail.

However, Network Rail said it was probably down to train operator c2c, as it was the main user of the station.

A spokesman for c2c said it was looking into the matter
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