Taxi Driver Online

Increase in taxi ranks
By Tom Stirling
Comment
THE number of taxi ranks in Ryedale is set to soar by 200 per cent - and taxi charges by up to 15 per cent.

Under a plan drawn up by the local authority, Kirkbymoorside and Helmsley would - for the first time - get their own dedicated ranks.

The number of ranks in Malton would double to four and, in Pickering, would increase from one to three. Norton, however, would miss out altogether.

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Taxi licensing bosses say more ranks would stop taxis having to make 30-mile round trips from Malton to Helmsley and back, just because there is nowhere to wait for trade.

Costs are also set to rise, after a freeze on prices this year. Under the plans, the price of the first mile of every standard rate journey would rise from £2.60 to £3. In addition, it is proposed that the charge for the first two miles should go up from £4.10 to £4.50, then from £8.60 to £9 for five miles, and a ten-mile journey would go up from £16.10 to £16.50.

Laural Huntington, taxi licensing officer for Ryedale District Council, said: "The proposed fares reflect a fair increase.

"They are considered to be an acceptable rise to be passed on to customers by hackney carriage drivers, on the basis that there has been no increase for two years."

Under the rank plans, Helmsley would get one part-time, two-vehicle rank in the Market Place.

Kirkbymoorside would also get a part-time, one-vehicle rank, in its Market Place.

In Malton, ranks would be added in Wheelgate and Railway Street. In Pickering, they would go in the Ropery car park, and the Market Place.

Norton does not have any ranks, and would not get any.

Ms Huntington said: "Taxis are an integral part of the transport system, especially in a predominantly rural area like Ryedale, where public transport facilities are limited.

"There are currently three ranks across the whole of Ryedale, considered to be inadequate to cater for the needs of residents, visitors and the 38 taxis licensed in Ryedale.

"Vehicles have to return to their base after they have dropped off passengers if they are unable to find a space on a rank.

"The location of the base is incidental, and, for example, can result in a Malton taxi dropping passengers off in Helmsley, and having to travel back to Malton because there is no appointed rank where they could park and wait for potential business."

The taxi overhaul must first be approved by councillors at a meeting tomorrow.

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

'More taxi ranks needed' to improve transport
Julie Hemmings
THE number of taxi ranks in Ryedale could be trebled in an effort to integrate transport links better across the district.
Taxi licensing officer Laural Huntington will tell councillors meeting this week that taxis are an "integral part" of the district's transport system and many residents use them in areas where public transport is not available. At present there are 38 licensed taxis in the district, with three ranks – one at Eastgate in Pickering and two in Malton, at the railway station and the Market Place.
A shortage of ranks was first raised in summer 2005 and a review of the service has been underway since with taxi operators, town and county councils, the North York Moors National Park Authority, North Yorkshire police and local residents and businesses.
Proposals to improve the service include plans for another full-time rank in Pickering and five part-time at Helmsley, Kirkbymoorside, Pickering and two in Malton.
The time-restricted ranks would operate on a trial basis initially, mainly between 6pm and 6am, when demand rises.Extra ranks also would cut the number of unnecessary journeys and the associated environmental pollution.
In a report to Ryedale councillors ahead of their meeting on Thursday, Ms Huntington said that after dropping off passengers vehicles had to return to their base if they could not find a space on a rank.
This could lead to a Malton taxi dropping off customers in Helmsley but, because there is no rank for them to park up and wait for business, having to drive the 15 miles back to Malton before finding another customer.
Under the proposals, new two-space, part-time ranks would be created in the Market Places at Helmsley and Kirkbymoorside.
The Malton Market Place rank would move to the opposite side of the road to ensure easier access by disabled people but the railway station rank, which is on private land, would be unaffected.In Pickering, the Eastgate rank would remain with a new time-restricted bay in the Market Place and a two-car rank in the Ropery car park, if councillors agree to the loss of parking spaces which together bring in £6,000 in fees per year.
If councillors back the proposals the new arrangements would come into force next year and be reviewed in 2008.