Taxi Driver Online

Taxi drivers angry at station rank mix-up


Angry taxi drivers say they lost trade in the busiest time of the year, after a mix-up left them waiting five months for a replacement taxi rank.

Contractors for St Edmundsbury Borough Council removed the taxi rank in Station Hill, Bury St Edmunds, in September and created a new one further along the road.

But, according to the chairman of Bury Taxi Drivers' Association, Sean Whitfield, a couple of weeks later the signs were taken down and the road markings burned off.

Mr Whitfield said he had since contacted the council seven or eight times to complain and had been told a mistake was made somewhere, but it would be sorted before Christmas.

He said: "The plan was to move it from one site to the other and put down a nice new road surface with the rank in the space near the burger van.

"I told the council we were coming up to the busiest time of the year and we would appreciate it if we could sit there but basically nothing's been done.

"We have lost a whole load of work and trade over Christmas, it's affected our livelihoods.

"They promised to sort it out. Our nearest rank is in the town."

A spokeswoman from the council admitted the new rank was taken down due to a contractor error and there had been a delay in repainting the lines.

She said: "Our contractors made an error regarding the line painting. The cost of this will not be met by Council Tax payers.

"We will add the lines as soon as possible but in the meantime, there is nothing to stop taxi drivers using the area as a taxi rank."

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

Well did the people fly home then?

And having a rank near a burger van? I don't think so.

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IDFIMH