Extra taxi rank for Preston city centre
A new taxi rank is to be provided in Preston city centre, in a bid to end a row between cabbies and the operators of Preston train station.
Drivers have held a number of go-slow' strikes over the last month after Virgin Rail announced that from June 2, only 12 taxis may be on the approach road to the station at any one time.
At present, there can be up to 50 taxis on the approach road at any one time.
But following a series of meetings this week between the drivers, licensing officers from Preston City Council, Lancashire County Council highways chiefs and police, it was agreed that a new rank is to be created in Corporation Street, close to the Preston City Mission.
Mick Thorpe, head of licensing at Preston City Council, said: "This is not a council issue, it is a dispute between the drivers and the various parties at the station - Network Rail, Virgin Rail and Fraser Eagle who own the land. But we felt that we had a responsibility as the body which regulates the trade in Preston.
"We have had a number of meetings and between ourselves, the road policing unit and the county council's highways department, we have come up with a proposals which will ease the situation."
Charles Oakes, secretary of the Bury, Bolton and Preston Hackney Carriage Association, said his members welcomed the new rank.
He said: "This is a welcome development but it should not have been left to the local councils to sort this out. We appreciate the hard work of the licensing officers but we are still angry that Virgin Rail and Network Rail did not properly consult us on this."
The new rank in Corporation Street will accommodate around 10 cabs but Mr Thorpe said that the council will be looking over the next couple of months at providing extra daytime ranks across the city.
Market Street, Charnley Street and Friargate have all been earmarked for new ranks.
Mr Thorpe said: "We recognise that there is a need for a bigger provision of daytime ranks and over the next couple of months, we will be looking at suitable sites for extra spaces."
A new taxi rank is to be provided in Preston city centre, in a bid to end a row between cabbies and the operators of Preston train station.
Drivers have held a number of go-slow' strikes over the last month after Virgin Rail announced that from June 2, only 12 taxis may be on the approach road to the station at any one time.
At present, there can be up to 50 taxis on the approach road at any one time.
But following a series of meetings this week between the drivers, licensing officers from Preston City Council, Lancashire County Council highways chiefs and police, it was agreed that a new rank is to be created in Corporation Street, close to the Preston City Mission.
Mick Thorpe, head of licensing at Preston City Council, said: "This is not a council issue, it is a dispute between the drivers and the various parties at the station - Network Rail, Virgin Rail and Fraser Eagle who own the land. But we felt that we had a responsibility as the body which regulates the trade in Preston.
"We have had a number of meetings and between ourselves, the road policing unit and the county council's highways department, we have come up with a proposals which will ease the situation."
Charles Oakes, secretary of the Bury, Bolton and Preston Hackney Carriage Association, said his members welcomed the new rank.
He said: "This is a welcome development but it should not have been left to the local councils to sort this out. We appreciate the hard work of the licensing officers but we are still angry that Virgin Rail and Network Rail did not properly consult us on this."
The new rank in Corporation Street will accommodate around 10 cabs but Mr Thorpe said that the council will be looking over the next couple of months at providing extra daytime ranks across the city.
Market Street, Charnley Street and Friargate have all been earmarked for new ranks.
Mr Thorpe said: "We recognise that there is a need for a bigger provision of daytime ranks and over the next couple of months, we will be looking at suitable sites for extra spaces."
Courtesy of captain cab
