Taxi Driver Online

Newton Aycliffe taxi drivers fuming after rank closure


TAXI drivers who are being forced to park on double yellow lines following the closure of a popular town centre rank claim its removal is already causing traffic chaos.

Yesterday morning (Tuesday, May 7), taxi drivers arrived to find the rank outside DL5 Sports and Lounge Bar in Newton Aycliffe had been fenced off and all signage and road markings removed.

The closure left the town with just one taxi rank, on Greenwell Road, and by 1.30pm that day it was full, forcing drivers to park on double yellow lines with their hazard lights flashing.

Jimmy Peacock, who has been a taxi driver in Newton Aycliffe for more than 20 years, said: “It is crazy. There have already been two small accidents because of the congestion.

“The drivers are queuing all the way up to Aldi because there is no room.”

Last November, The Northern Echo reported how Freshwater, the private company that owns Newton Aycliffe town centre, planned to remove the rank as part of the £2m revamp of the shopping area.

At the time, Mr Peacock said the move would impact on trade and lead to a rise in crime and anti-social behaviour on Friday and Saturday nights, as revellers would no longer be able to jump straight into a taxi.

He urged Freshwater to reconsider or provide an alternative.

And now that his fears have become a reality, Mr Peacock is furious.

“They took the rank away without any warning,” he said. “We knew they were planning it but they did not tell us when.”

A spokesperson from Freshwater said: “Durham County Council and the town centre management have been in discussions regarding this rank for several years and we have during this period advised drivers and companies that this rank would be closing.

“In 2010, in conjunction with the council, we created a purpose built taxi rank on Greenwell Road which was to become the main taxi rank for Newton Aycliffe.”

Dave Wafer, strategic highways manager at Durham County Council, said the 14 spaces available on Greenwell Road compared favourably with provision in other town centres.

“It will be difficult to find any additional land to provide further spaces,” he said. “We will, however, continue to monitor the situation.”

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