Cabbies anger as rank becomes parking spaces CABBIES lost the battle to keep part of a taxi rank serving town centre shoppers from being turned into parking spaces.
Despite two petitions from the taxi trade, the five space rank outside the old Woolworth’s off London Street will be reduced to two spaces.
Furious drivers pleaded with councillors to keep the rank which serves pedestrianised Chapel Street, insisting it was a vital service.
Two of the remaining ranks will now be turned into pay and display and a loading bay for heavy goods vehicles.
Guy Wilkinson, of the nighttime Hackney drivers’ association, said he was “disappointed but not surprised.”
He said: “It is a very short sighted decision but they are desperate for more revenue.
Lib Dem Cllr Simon Shaw encouraged the reduction in taxi spaces, saying they were “hardly used.”
He argued it was “only a two and a half minute walk” to the rank outside Sainsbury’s on Lord Street.
But Mr Wilkinson slammed this argument as “arrogant and obnoxious.”
He said: “He made the assumption that anyone can stroll to another rank. The people who use our taxis are often elderly or have lots of shopping.
“It seems he has forgotten people’s reliance on the service.”
Mr Wilkinson added that “the Troc”, as the rank is known in the trade after the Trocadero cinema.
Votes for the change of use were cast down party lines, with the Lib Dem majority agreeing to getting rid of taxi spaces to make way for parking.
Conservative Cllr Brenda Porter, who spoke in support of keeping the taxi ranks, said after the meeting, that it was “disgraceful” that the decision was made “without any evidence that the ranks were not in use.”
http://www.formbytimes.co.uk/news/formb ... -30675908/
Login
Register
FAQ
