Taxi Driver Online

New taxi regime for Durham city centre


SWEEPING changes aimed at ridding a city centre of long late-night taxi queues are set to come into force on Friday.

Since Durham County Council deregulated the taxi trade last year, hundreds of cabs have been competing for trade in Durham, creating noisy queues of vehicles lasting into the early hours.

The council’s latest attempt to solve the problem will see a night-time taxi rank on Claypath closed and replaced with a rank on the slip road to the Prince Bishops shopping centre entrance. This will operate from 6pm to 8am.

The existing daytime taxi rank, on the slip road behind Clayport Library, will continue to operate from 8am to 9pm.

The Claypath area which is currently a night-time taxi rank will continue to provide loading bays and disabled parking during the day, but will now be available for general public parking after 6pm.

The new regime will come into force on a trial basis, initially for six months, under a revised Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO). During that time, council chiefs want to hear whether it is working.

The changes were first announced in September. At the time, some residents supported them, saying they would stop cabbies queuing for trade up Claypath, onto Gilesgate and beyond.

However, some taxi drivers warned they would worsen congestion, with vehicles queuing onto New Elvet Bridge.

Coun Bob Young, the council’s cabinet member for strategic environment, said the council had tried a number of approaches, none of which had alleviated the disturbance.

However, he hoped the new trial would relieve the area of the problems, provide a suitable city centre location for waiting taxis and offer a convenient rank for passengers.

He said: “I would ask taxi drivers to work with us during this six month period and to queue safely and responsibly on the new rank.

“I would also warn those thinking of ignoring the new system that we will work with our partners at Durham Constabulary to enforce the changes where necessary.”

To comment on the changes, write to: Planning and Highways Team, Legal Services, Durham County Council, County Hall, Durham, DH1 5UL; or email: highways.orders@durham.gov.uk

source: http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/

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

So now they have deregulated things seem to be working well,queues of empty cabs at night

So they haven't dealt with the problem just moved it somewhere else

It's a nightmare because the q now forms on the new rank but unscrupulous drivers are parking in parking bays where the old rank was and passengers see them first and jump in. Therefore the customers never get to the rank q.

I guess it's still legal to drive around and around and wait to be flagged, that should keep the noise down Perhaps the council should just admit they made a little mistake and try to fix that rather than to just move the problem as was mentioned by Sasha.

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Was in Durham yesterday - taxis and PH parked everywhere.

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

Did you manage to nick any fares?

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Grandad,

Was in my father in laws car with my mrs, son and in law on board

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