Taxi Driver Online

Transport chiefs in Norwich had to apologise to angry cab drivers yesterday - after closing two taxi ranks by mistake.

Drivers had claimed that their livelihoods were being hit by the effect on the ranks in St Stephen's of the latest phase in a £9.5m scheme to improve access for taxis, buses and pedestrians.

They had been assured only one rank would be shut at a time, but there was confusion yesterday after workers were digging on both sides.

Contractors Citycare, which is carrying out the work on behalf of Norfolk County Council and Norwich City Council, decided on the move on Friday but failed to provide any alternative site for the drivers.

Melvern Bryant said taxi drivers trying to park in the road to pick up fares were receiving complaints from bus drivers that they were blocking their spaces. Traffic wardens were also threatening to issue tickets.

"When I got there this morning I found they had shut our taxi rank off," he said. "It's absolutely ridiculous how they have treated us - there is nowhere for us to park.

"I've got regular customers and a lot of elderly people I pick up from St Stephen's who can't find a taxi rank. A lot of my customers are from Norwich Union and I may lose that business altogether."

His colleague Rodney Pearce said the rank near British Home Stores could take four taxis. But while steps had been taken to help buses cope, nothing had been done for taxis.

"We are public transport but they are doing nothing to help us, why haven't they found us another taxi rank," he said.

David Sprunt, project engineer for the county council, said officials from Citycare and the city council will meet today to see if the rank is safe enough to open immediately.

"Our contractor Citycare, in an attempt to be helpful, decided to accelerate the work on the BHS side on Friday. Unfortunately we were not involved in that decision.

"Our intention was always to maintain a rank in St Stephen's while this complex improvement work is carried out and we are very sorry that people have been inconvenienced.

"The current rank will have to close at some point in the future for work to be done, but an alternative will be available on the opposite side of the road."

The measures are part of an overhaul of the city centre which has seen the return of two-way traffic for buses, taxis and bikes in Red Lion Street, and new traffic lights at the junction of St Stephen's and Surrey Street. Wider pavements have been installed along the route to the new bus station from Castle Meadow.

In February, transport chiefs had to go back to the drawing board after widespread confusion and complaints about the new traffic lights from drivers and pedestrians. Extra signs were put up and additional signal boxes put up at traffic lights in Rampant Horse Street and Westlegate.

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IDFIMH

seems sadly typical of the general disregard the profession is held in

they'll ban leccy wheelchairs next

Captain cab

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