Taxi Driver Online

Taxi rank temporary closure under fire



DISGRUNTLED taxi drivers in Clydebank have slammed the council's decision to close the Alexander Street taxi rank for 15 weeks.

Council bosses last week agreed proposals from transport giant Network Rail to shutthe rank to allow essential repair work to be completed under the bridge.

It brings to an end several months of negotiations involving the rail company, the council and taxi drivers.

David McCulloch of the council's Trading Standards and Licensing team told the committee that the proposal would see the Hume Street rank becoming the recognised rank during the work, before stating that the proposed work had already been put back five months.

He said: "Network Rail had hoped to begin work on the bridge in October but businesses complained strongly in the lead up to the busy Christmas period so work was delayed until January.

"A temporary solution had to be found that did not involve Alexander Street at all."

He then informed the committee that is was believed that turning Hume Street into the main rank would be the best solution before informing members the main complaint from Clydebank Public Hire Association (CPHA) was poor lighting in Hume Street area.

The committee were told of the outrage of residents who were against the move and how they had lodged a 28 person petition which said: "We the undersigned wish to bring to the attention of the West Dunbartonshire Licensing Committee our opposition to the removal of the Alexander Street Taxi Rank, temporary or otherwise.

"We also support the trade proposal to retain the essential rank in Alexander Street."

Drivers believe the move will not only hit them in the pocket but also cause chaos for police.

Allan MacLeod of the CPHA said: "We believe that moving the rank the 140 metres to Hume Street is a long way for some people.

"Maybe not for Usain Bolt but for the average member of the Clydebank shopping public, young mothers with kids in tow with half a dozen plastic bags bursting at the seams, or a pensioner with a new hip it is.

"Police are called to the area each weekend at present. For 15 weeks this proposal will create a free for all around Kilbowie Road and the Chalmers Street junction. What about the residents in Kilbowie Road?

"Four out of five taxis will head onto Kilbowie Road so customers will be paying extra whilst we fight our way through Chalmers Street.

"Yes we want the bridge works to be carried out as soon as possible, but not at any cost."

However both councillors Jonathan McColl and Lawrence O'Neill believed that the consultation period had lasted long enough, before stating they believed that temporarily moving to Hume Street would not inconvenience residents too much.

Council chiefs then unanimously agreed to the temporary proposals.

source: http://www.clydebankpost.co.uk/news/rou ... nder-fire/

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