Taxi drivers call for more space at station Mid Sussex Taxi Association has raised its concerns on the need for more space if development plans go ahead at Haywards Heath Railway Station.Many readers have contacted the paper in recent weeks highlighting the need for an increase in the taxi rank’s capacity.
Mid Sussex Taxi Association said: “Historically and currently we have space to rank about 40 taxis. The plan as presently conceived reduces the rank capacity to 17 and takes us back to levels of service provided in 1967.”
Southern, which owns and runs the railway station, currently permits 105 taxis to operate from the Haywards Heath. A spokesperson for Solum Regeneration, which is promoting the development with Southern and Waitrose, said that the new rank would provide 18 taxi spaces on the forecourt, rather than the situation at the moment where the taxis are split between the forecourt and queuing on the car park access road.
They added: “We believe that the proposals we have put forward will improve the position for taxi drivers and their passengers – by increasing the number of taxi spaces on the forecourt, improving the free flow of traffic on the forecourt and by enhancing public safety. Taxi drivers are also likely to benefit from more business by being positioned outside the new Waitrose foodstore.
“We recognise that the taxi drivers want more space but we need to balance their needs with other station users including those that walk, cycle, come by bus or are dropped off by families and friends. After extensive consultation with many station users and interest groups, we believe we have got that balance right.”
To view the plans, visit
http://pa.midsussex.gov.uk/online-applications/ and enter 12/02935/FUL or,
www.haywardsheathforward.co.ukhttp://www.midsussextimes.co.uk/news/lo ... -1-4354801