City night spot too nice for a taxi rank
By Sian Davies
COUNCIL planners blocked the siting of a taxi rank in the heart of a Southampton nightclub district - because it would ruin the look of the street.
Against police advice, the views of taxi drivers and even their own licensing department, highways bosses refused to allow the rank to be put in London Road, where a large proportion of late-night bars and clubs are found.
Instead they located it around the corner in a residential road, making it more difficult for revellers to find, say critics.
The move has caused anger among some taxi drivers who say the location makes it difficult for clubbers to get home quickly and safely.
One driver, who asked not to be named, said: "Now they want to usher people across the road and around the corner to outside where people are sleeping. I'm sorry, but who thought that one up?"
Insp Tony Rowlinson, of Southampton's licensing unit, said the police wanted the rank in London Road to help with public order but were told it would ruin the street scene.
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Richard Black, of the council's licensing department, said he had fought for two years to have the rank in London Road, but in the end had to compromise with Bellevue Road.
Cllr Gavin Dick said the council had made significant improvements to London Road and had to take into consideration factors such as cycling facilities, bus stops, taxi ranks, parking and loading bays. He added that they provided taxi ranks outside the law courts, Carlton Place and Bellevue Road The new rank, which ismanned by marshals on Friday and Saturday nights, came into force at the weekend, prompting complaints from some taxi drivers.
Clive Johnson, of the Southampton Taxi Consultative Committee, said: "My phone has been red-hot with drivers complaining about how it was handled.
It was like marshal law down there. Hackney carriages are legally entitled to pick up if they are hailed or booked, but they weren't being allowed to.
"We appreciate what the authorities are trying to do but not the way it was handled. A bit of discretion wouldn't have gone amiss."
However, Mr Black said: "Hackney Carriages are allowed to stop if hailed but what they aren't allowed to do is cruise past looking for passengers, and on Friday they were driving past the new rank and into London Road.
"We were making them aware that it was there and that they should use it. It's a case of letting the new rank bed in."
Insp Rowlinson said the new rank worked better on Saturday.
"We very much appreciated the co-operation of the taxi drivers, most of whom were appreciative of what we were trying to do. I hope that in time the use of the rank will become the norm.
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