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Richmond cabbies threaten to sue council if taxi rank is moved
Disabled rail passengers will be left stranded if plans to move a taxi rank away from a train station go ahead, cabbies have warned.
Black cab drivers are opposed to Richmond Council's plans to shift the rank outside Richmond station, and threatened to sue the authority for up to £1m in loss of earnings if it does.
The council's proposal to pedestrianise the front of the station in Kew Road, would mean relocating the bus stops outside the neighbouring parade of shops and budging the taxi rank further down The Quadrant.
Steve Howard, from Richmond’s licenced taxi drivers group, told a public meeting at Duke Street Church hall, Duke Street, Richmond, last Friday, that they make about 3,500 journeys a month with disabled passengers, and a “great deal” were to and from Richmond station.
Cabbie Bill Clarke said: “If the rank is moved to where the council proposes, South West Trains staff will only drop disabled people directly outside the station because their responsibility, possibly for insurance reasons, stops there.”
Carolyn O’Connell, 64 - who suffers from arthritis and epilepsy - said: “I like the way things are at the present moment, because my husband can drop me at the station and he can pick me up.
“I go sometimes to poetry evenings and come back at 11pm and walk out of there and I can be picked up, I don’t want to come out on to some dark corner.
“I can stand there under the awning by the cabs and I know I’m safe.”
She told the meeting she used to work for the Royal National Institute of Blind People, and believed many passengers with visual impairments would struggle to find the taxi rank if it was moved down the road.
Mr Howard said the plans would also affect pregnant women, elderly people, shoppers carring heavy bags and passengers travelling in bad weather.
Susan Kramer, MP for Richmond Park, said the view outside the station was currently a “mess”.
Mr Clarke said most of his passengers had no idea about the plans, and were shocked when he told them.
But the council said feedback on the proposals had been positive and the alternatives suggested by cab drivers had not been feasible.
Councillor David Trigg, cabinet member for traffic, transport and parking, said: “More than 5,000 people were contacted during the public consultation held in November 2007, and a further 4,000 visited our public exhibition.
"The feedback was extremely positive and we are currently working with South Western Trains and Transport for London to finalise the new layout.
“We have held two meeting with taxi drivers to discuss the plans and listen to their views. The small number who expressed concerns were encouraged to submit alternative ideas, but these did not meet the needs of all of road users, so couldn’t be taken forward.
“The new layout will place the taxi ranks just 20 yards from the station exit, so they will remain clearly visible for potential customers.
"The new ranks will provide space for nine more taxis and moving the bus stops will provide greatly improved facilities for bus passengers.”
The Licenced Taxi Drivers Association has pledged £2,000 towards the drivers’ campaign.
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