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| Reading Private Hire Not Happy About Taxi Rank Plans http://taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8302 |
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| Author: | Cybro [ Sat Mar 22, 2008 6:52 am ] |
| Post subject: | Reading Private Hire Not Happy About Taxi Rank Plans |
20 Mar 2008 Drivers’ anger at taxi rank plan Private hire car drivers are up in arms over proposed taxi ranks in Reading, after they were told their views would not be considered. Reading Borough Council has proposed four new taxi ranks in the town centre, which can only be used by Hackney carriages. The sites had been chosen after the council surveyed places where private hire cars, which compete for business with Hackney carriages, most often dropped off or picked up passengers over a two-week period. In February, the council asked the public to put their views of the project forward, but did not ask private hire drivers for their views directly. When Manzoor Hussain, director of Yellow Cars Ltd, sent a letter of objection on behalf of private hire drivers, he discovered he had missed the deadline, on Friday, March 14, by one day and that his views may not be considered. He told the Evening Post: “Yellow Cars does around 150 to 200 journeys daily into town, but only around 50 or so come back from the town centre. “The reason for less people coming back is due to the fact we are already restricted on working from the town and the latest proposals will further restrict us.” Private hire cars are also prevented from using dedicated taxi lanes, which allow Hackney carriages to take shortcuts through town. The council’s proposals for new taxi ranks in the town centre has identified four spots. Two part-time ranks will be on the south side of Friar Street and east of the bus stop in Gun Street running from 11am to 5pm, and two full-time ranks will be in place of disabled parking spaces in front of the Minster in St Mary’s Butts and on the east side of Bridge Street. In his letter of objection, Mr Hussain argued against all four sites because they would take away key pick up and drop off spots for private hire cars in some of the busiest areas of town. He wrote: “There is nothing to show that doubling the town centre road space reserved exclusively for black cabs only will get even one more cab where passengers want to be. “The proposals will, however, make it a great deal harder for us to pick up our booked passengers where they want to be picked up. “This is not in the best interests of the public, is a retrograde step and we urge you to abandon this ill-considered set of proposals.” Council spokeswoman Sarah Bishton said the changes were advertised in the local press and on street notices, adding: “No objections were received during the objection period.” Source: Reading Evening Post ---------- Disclaimer These press articles are intended for informational purposes only. Statements and opinions expressed in these articles are solely those of the original Publisher. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of any of these articles, and therefore I am not liable for any information contained therein. Where possible, the Publisher and the source are documented within each article. Any author that holds legal copyright, and objects to their material being posted, may request that it be removed and any future material excluded. |
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| Author: | jimbo [ Sat Mar 22, 2008 11:13 am ] |
| Post subject: | |
You would need a heart of stone not to laugh out loud at this tale of woe. |
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| Author: | Sussex [ Sat Mar 22, 2008 4:16 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Reading Private Hire Not Happy About Taxi Rank Plans |
Cybro wrote: The sites had been chosen after the council surveyed places where private
hire cars, which compete for business with Hackney carriages, most often dropped off or picked up passengers over a two-week period. So what's the need for taxi ranks then? 
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