Taxi Driver Online

Taxi driver blasts council regeneration project at Balloch Road

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/loca ... n-13939145

The works could leave taxis with no where to park.

Works to regenerate Balloch Road could cost taxi drivers their business – according to one who has been serving the area for almost 30 years.

Vale cabbie Gordon Mitchell has hit out at the plans to transform the busy nightspot as part of a regeneration project, claiming it will be chaotic for revellers trying to get home after a night out.

He says a bid to reduce traffic speeding in the area will leave taxi drivers with nowhere to rank and council leader Jonathan McColl has expressed concerns over the safety of pedestrians as a result of the work too.

Mr Mitchell told the Lennox Herald the plans are “leaving taxi drivers out of the equation” and claims works to narrow the road could lead to further congestion.

And the Balloch councillor said a crossing point, close to the roundabout near McDonald’s, could cause real problems for pedestrians and drivers.

Works include the realignment and narrowing of Balloch Road between Pier Road and Ben Lomond Way, raised table crossings at Drumkinnon Road, Clairnish Road and Craiglomond Gardens, and the introduction of formalised parking bays on both sides of the road.

However, Mr Mitchell, 49, says the works leave little space for taxis to wait outside the busy Glenroy bar – where drivers regularly pick up pub-goers on a Friday and Saturday night.

The taxi driver of 28 years told the Lennox Herald: “The Glenroy pub is one of the busiest pubs in Balloch. In all the years I have been a taxi driver, there has always been a kind of unofficial taxi rank there. On a Friday or Saturday we have up to 40 to 50 cars there and now they plan on taking that away.

“When I phoned the council, I was told there is no taxi rank in that area. It is true that it’s not an official rank – which it should be – but it has always been there.”

He added: “The Glenroy itself is a hotel, bar and nightclub and on the other side of the road you have Desire nightclub – so on a Saturday we can be queued right up to the roundabout at McDonald’s.

“These new plans are taking taxi drivers right out of the equation and it will really affect our business. If taxis cannot park there you will have a situation where
350-odd people are making calls for a taxi on the street – and the police will not want that.”

Balloch councillor Jonathan McColl says he is concerned about safety of pedestrians as well as drivers due to the location of a crossing point, near to the roundabout at McDonald’s.

He said: “Of particular concern are plans to locate a crossing point where cars and pedestrians would not be able to see each other until the last moment on a blind corner at the roundabout.

“I’m not a roads expert. However, as a driver who uses that stretch of road, it looks problematic and I have asked our professional staff to reassess it.”

The plans were put out to public consultation in November 2017. However, Mr Mitchell believes taxi drivers should have been specifically asked for their opinion on what the changes could mean for their trade. He took his complaints council regeneration officer Magdalena Swider.

In an email reply, seen by the Lennox Herald, Ms Swider told Mr Mitchell: “The project will introduce safe pedestrian crossing, formalised parking along the road and reduction of speed of the passing traffic. Balloch Road will also be resurfaced. These changes will improve the overall experience of Balloch.

“I appreciate that taxis have been traditionally using the space in front of the Glenroy bar and Desire nightclub despite it not being a formal taxi rank. This may still be possible to some extent. Taxis may also be able to find other suitable areas in the vicinity to pick up clients at busy times.”

Mr Mitchell’s concerns have been backed by Lomond’s Conservative councillor Sally Page. She said: “The changes look as if they will really cause problems for taxis outside the Glenroy and for the residents up and down Balloch Road.”

The works are set to be completed at the end of the year.

A West Dunbartonshire Council spokeswoman said: “There has been significant community consultation on the details of the project.

“We have not received a formal request to create a taxi rank in this location.”

Looking at it on Google, looks a great spot for a rank of this kind - long, wide, straight road, with plenty of space for cabs ranked up. Now the council will come along and ruin it.

Brings to mind an unofficial night rank in Dundee that was operating for a few years. Council proposed to make an official part-time rank there.

Big hoohah from residents etc, traffic problems, litter etc. But was never mentioned that it was an official rank already, so what difference would formalising it make as regards any issues? There was a letter in the local press from a local activist, and I sent a reply stating that it was an unofficial rank already and that was surely a consideration that should have been mentioned, but wasn't. Letter wasn't published, then a few days later another letter from the same activist, once again failing to mention the unofficial queue of taxis that was already there

Anyway, the council's plans were knocked back, but the rank is still there several years later.

As for this kind of thing across the Tay in NE Fife, don't get me started

It's about time local planners/traffic consultants realised the huge benefits the trade are to the police and general public order late at night.

We clear the streets of the idiots and those vulnerable to the idiots.

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IDFIMH

wow one pub can generate enough work for 50 cars how big is it ?

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Doesn't look that big on Google frontage-wise, but looks like that may be deceptive, and it's quite a big complex that's part of a hotel and other entertainment venue. And there's a nightclub on the other side of the road.

Seems a lot of cabs for a town of less than 10,000 people, but probably a bit like here where late-on there's really only one or two venues close-together where the work's coming from, so all the cars join the queue, which is regularly 20+ long at this time of year, and up to 30-40 at times. Many are office cars that tend to pull off before they get to the front, suspect Balloch much the same, and of course to a degree it's much the same everywhere, and like here they may be all or mostly HC down there, and few PH.

And although Balloch quite a small place, it could be the entertainment centre for some of the other towns and villages in the area, rather than going all the way into Glasgow.

By coincidence, this appeared yesterday at about the same time as the taxi rank story:

Man stabbed in violent Balloch pub brawl

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/loca ... b-13939699

James Murray lashed out violently and swung his arms like a “windmill” while wielding a knife and left a man with blood soaking through his shirt.

What's the betting they'll get an official rank for about half a dozen cars at most, so a couple of dozen cars at least with nowhere to rank.

But councillors will pat themselves on the back and officials will tick the right boxes - job done

New taxi rank plan for Balloch after cabbie roadworks anger

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/loca ... h-14030677

The move has been proposed to help ease taxi drivers' concerns over the works taking away an informal rank

Plans are being drawn up to install a formal taxi rank close to popular nightspots in Balloch.

The move comes after the Lennox Herald reported last month that cabbies were up in arms against roadworks which were set to obliterate an informal rank which has been used for years.

At last week’s full council meeting, councillor for the area, council leader, Jonathan McColl tabled a motion which will see officers discuss the plans with taxi drivers “to allow safe pick up and drop off of licenced premises’ patrons”.

It was unanimously agreed by councillors.

We told last month how cabbies were worried the works would drive them out of business by eradicating the informal rank they had used for years.

Taxi driver Gordon Mitchell from the Vale said it would be chaotic for revellers trying to get home after a night out and added: “On a Friday or Saturday we have up to 40 to 50 cars there and now they plan on taking that away.

“The Glenroy itself is a hotel, bar and nightclub and on the other side of the road you have Desire nightclub – so on a Saturday we can be queued right up to the roundabout at McDonald’s.”

Concerns were also raised about a bus stop being moved closer to the roundabout at the west end of Balloch Road and members agreed to move the stop futher back from the roundabout.

Some £16,500 has been dedicated from reserves also to remove the road narrowing build-outs at the junction with Drumkinnon Gate estate and reinstate the original layout.

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IDFIMH

you of all people should know how councils operate this was probably a councillors pet project that turned out to be a nightmare

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector