'Moving taxi rank will be a disaster'
PLANS to move a town centre taxi rank are set to go ahead – despite opposition from cabbies.
Newcastle Hackney Carriage Association says the proposals to remove the taxi rank from Hassell Street, pictured, Newcastle during the day will result in its members losing fares to private hire vehicles.
Taxi drivers also believe the plans will cause traffic problems elsewhere in the town centre.
Newcastle Borough Council wants to move the rank as part of its plans to pedestrianise Hassell Street between 10am and 4pm each day.
Alternative ranks would be set up in Ironmarket and lower High Street from 6am to 6pm, with taxis being allowed to queue in Hassell Street outside these hours.
Teresa Jones, secretary of Newcastle Hackney Carriage Association, says the plans have not been thought through properly.
She said: "The pedestrianisation of Hassell Street is a mistake. People going to shop in Newcastle just like to nip in and nip out. We don't have big department stores that people can wander around for hours.
"I've spoken to our drivers about this and they're not happy at all. Moving the taxi rank will be a disaster for us. We'll just see Hassell Street get taken over by private hire vehicles, and we'll be stuck up on the High Street with nothing to do."
According to the borough council, the plans would increase the number of spaces for taxis during the day from 15 to 22, with capacity for a further 18 vehicles to queue legally in High Street and Ironmarket.
With around 40 taxis in circulation at any one time, council officers believe this provision is enough.
But Councillor David Nixon says that many of these additional spaces will be available for vehicles other than taxis to use.
He has so far collected more than 3,100 signatures for a petition against the plans for the town centre.
Mr Nixon said: "The council says there will be 11 spaces in Ironmarket, but that will only include six spaces for black cabs. The other spaces will be for blue badge holders waiting to park in the disabled bays."
Cabinet members at the council will be asked to approve the proposals when they meet next Wednesday.
Council deputy leader Robin Studd, cabinet member for regeneration and planning, said: "We have looked into the issues that have been raised, and we've listened to the taxi drivers' concerns, but I think they are worrying unduly about this."
source:
http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/
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