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PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 4:47 pm 
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From the headline assumed this was about the trade protesting, but they're not even mentioned, so makes a change, and these people probably more likely to be listened to than the trade. Assuming, of course, that the trade isn't supportive of the rank relocation.


Accessibility concerns protest following plans to move taxi rank at Leeds Station

https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/ ... on-3311836

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Image: Yorkshire Evening Post

A protest is planned in Leeds city centre voicing concerns against the planned relocation of a taxi rank.

Leeds City Council (LCC) plans to pedestrianise Leeds Station and its surrounding area as part of a £39.5 million investment scheme.

Cars and buses will no longer be able to use New Station Street, meaning the taxi rank and bus stops will be moved.

Taxi services will be relocated to Bishopgate Street.

Members of the LCC AUAG & Disability Hub will be protesting in Millennium Square on Monday, July 19 to voice concerns about the accessibility of the plans.

The protest will be held from 11am to 1pm.

In a statement sent on behalf of the LCC AUAG Station Sub Group Community Representatives, the members said: "A diverse group of Leeds volunteers and residents living with impairment, ill health and disability have been forced to organise a series of 'Justice Gathering' to help ensure their inclusion, participation, rights and equality is recognised, respected and upheld by our city leaders.

It continued: "The Council`s proposal to remove that easy step free accessible taxi rank at Leeds Station and then introduce flights of step and the need for passenger lifts totally fails to improve access.

"In fact it makes the journey longer, unsafe and more difficult for all passengers, especially disabled children and adults and makes the plan an utter farce in comparison to keeping the rank on New Station Street.

"It is recognised by DPTAC that for disabled children and adults Taxis are the most popular door to door modes of public transport after private cars.

"The Council cannot simply dismiss the fundamental importance of taxi ranks for many disabled member of the public and also argue that the rights, inclusion and equality of disabled and older people is somehow in conflict with developing our city and must be sacrificed as part of socially damaging public development."

The council hopes the plans will make it easier to walk in the area and create a direct route between the station entrance and the South Bank.

Cycling infrastructure will be installed on Neville Street, Dark Neville Street (the dark arches) and Bishopgate.

The Leeds Station plans will be delivered by Leeds City Council, in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Network Rail as land owner, via the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund.

The improvements will be delivered by Leeds City Council, in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Network Rail as land owner, via the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund.

Work is due to be completed in 2023.


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PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 4:48 pm 
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Slightly bizarre article that from a journalistic perspective, with unexplained abbreviations, unnecessary waffle from the disabled rights group, and the council's corporate 'in partnership with' stuff is repeated twice at the end :-s


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PostPosted: Mon Jul 19, 2021 12:28 am 
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Cycling infrastructure will be installed on Neville Street, Dark Neville Street (the dark arches) and Bishopgate.



Yet again the world must adapt to the wants of a cycling minority so as councillors can appear as a bunch of Eco trendies....even if the other 99% of the public road users have to endure mobility hardship in the process.


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PostPosted: Mon Jul 19, 2021 5:21 am 
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bloodnock wrote:
Quote:
Cycling infrastructure will be installed on Neville Street, Dark Neville Street (the dark arches) and Bishopgate.



Yet again the world must adapt to the wants of a cycling minority so as councillors can appear as a bunch of Eco trendies....even if the other 99% of the public road users have to endure mobility hardship in the process.



=D> =D> =D> my thoughts exactly

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PostPosted: Thu Jul 22, 2021 3:44 pm 
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Well looks like the protest went ahead =D> 8-[


Protest in Millennium Square following plans to move taxi rank at Leeds Station

https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/ ... on-3315857

A protest has been held against Leeds City Council's plans to pedestrianise Leeds Station and its surrounding area as part of a £39.5 million investment scheme in the area.

Image
Image: Yorkshire Evening Post


Not much there that's not in the original article, but a protest organiser does say that "representatives of Unite the Union and Taxi Trade attended."

But if these two articles are anything to go by, they're strangely silent about the whole thing. But if this statement by Leeds City Council is correct, then rank space at the station will be doubled, so maybe the trade reps don't want to be seen not supporting the disabled rights groups, but are actually supportive of the rank relocation :-$

Leeds City Council wrote:
"The proposed move means that people will no longer have to cross a busy road to access the taxi rank, and the number of taxis able to queue at the rank will be doubled compared to the existing facility.

“We understand the importance of taxi ranks to many disabled and older people, and have worked hard to ensure that other key ranks across the city centre which support access to the pedestrian core of the city are retained and improved.

But of course a lot depends on how these thing are reported, and this new article repeats the error of the two paragraphs which essentially say the same thing but are just phrased slightly differently, so that hardly inspires confidence that it's a balanced and comprehensive report [-(

Yorkshire Evening Post wrote:
The Leeds Station plans will be delivered by Leeds City Council in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Network Rail as land owner, via the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund.

The improvements will be delivered by Leeds City Council, in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Network Rail as land owner, via the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund.


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PostPosted: Sat Sep 11, 2021 7:51 am 
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So despite the extra rank space mentioned above, seems the trade doesn't want the proposed relocation either, and is supporting the arguments made by the disabled groups.

And, as Unite says, if the new rank is too far and/or out of sight, punters will use alternative transport. Like apps 8-[

But no doubt we'll be reading a similar article from Newcastle soon :roll:


Leeds taxi drivers to protest over plan to move cabbie rank at train station

https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/news/leeds ... r-21534839

A protest is being held in the city centre next week to object to the proposal to move the taxi rank

Image
Image: Mellissa Dzinzi/LeedsLive

A protest has been planned over the difficulties faced by disabled and elderly travellers with a taxi rank at Leeds station set to move, Unite has said.

The trade union said those with disabilities and the elderly, who are using Leeds station, will face "intolerable obstacles" if they wish to hail a cab, as the current taxi rank is set to be moved further from the platforms.

Campaigners are so concerned by the proposal that they will be staging a protest at Leeds Civic Hall, in the city centre, at 11.30am on Tuesday (September 14) to lobby councillors to keep the rank where it is.

This will be followed by a march from the Civic Hall to Millennium Square where there will be speeches from 2pm.

Unite said that the current rank is on the main concourse and 45 metres from the entrance.

However, the union claimed the proposed rank, scheduled for 2023, is down steep steps or via a lift - which, if not working, will mean able bodied, the elderly and disabled having a 165 metre journey to reach it.

They said the alternative is to keep it where it is now, or move it to the left hand side outside the station entrance - similar to London’s Paddington Station which already operates a cab rank inside the station.

Unite regional officer Darren Rushworth said: “Tuesday’s protest by disability campaigners is aimed at asking the ‘powers that be’ to jettison this proposal which will put intolerable obstacles in the way of disabled people and the elderly who will have nearly four times the length to go to seek a taxi.

“This is supposedly happening to make passenger movements easier and to cope with modelled increases in passenger numbers, but the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has already shown that the throughput is down by 12 per cent for Leeds station in 2020 and that it did not anticipate the same levels of passenger movements in future with people’s changing habits to work and travel."

Unite branch secretary for passenger transport/cab section for Yorkshire, Paul Landau said: “While taxi drivers will lose custom as people are driven by what is called 'line-of-sight' and if they cannot see a cab rank they will either walk or use an App to gain carriage, but that is not our principle objection.

“We are primarily concerned about an expensive and misguided proposal that the travelling public don’t want - a snapshot survey we conducted at the station showed that 75 per cent of people wanted the rank to remain as it is – and the very detrimental impact it will have on our fellow citizens who have a disability or who are elderly. We should be making their lives easier, not more difficult.”

Unite is dedicated to advancing the jobs, pay and conditions of its members and will fight back against any efforts to diminish workers' living standards.


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PostPosted: Sat Sep 11, 2021 7:01 pm 
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Unite is dedicated to advancing the jobs, pay and conditions of its members and will fight back against any efforts to diminish workers' living standards.

Delighted to hear that.

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PostPosted: Tue Nov 09, 2021 2:28 pm 
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Headline here reminds me of the Sheffield 'stabbings' thing last week over the CAZ.

Daft comment by Unite, but of course it makes for a good headline for the press.


People will steal taxis and fight if Leeds station taxi rank is moved to smaller spot say protesters

https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/news/leeds ... s-22102347

This is the second day of action against the move

Campaigners are taking to the streets again against the movement of a taxi rank they say would amount to discrimination and leave vulnerable groups in danger.

Unite the Union have said moving the taxi rank will leave disabled people struggling to access the taxi rank and women feeling unsafe after dark.

The taxi rank outside Leeds Train Station is currently right outside the station, but under council plans to revamp the station area, would be moved onto Bishopgate in front of the Scarborough Hotel.

Protestors will be taking to the streets on Wednesday, November 10 in Leeds City Square from 1pm to 3pm.

The plan for the station development includes "wider, safer" steps and two passenger lifts - but disability campaigners say the new rank will still be hard to reach for disabled people.

Access and Use-Ability Group (AUAG) have said that lifts can be difficult to access for some people with guide dogs and autistic people - they are campaigning for the rank to be somewhere with step-free access.

Taxi drivers are also protesting - as the new rank will have space for just six taxis while the current one has space for 33.

Campaigners have also said that the new position "would lead all users and especially the vulnerable to queue opposite to a notorious public house and down in to the 'Dark Arches' area of the city.

"An area, which at the best of times is an intimidating place for lone women and the disabled."

Unite have also announced plans to send an open letter to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps protesting the taxi rank move.

A Leeds City Council spokesperson said: “The proposals are to make New Station Street pedestrian-friendly, traffic-free and safer for everyone who uses the station area. As part of this, Leeds City Council (LCC), the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Network Rail developed proposals and LCC gained planning permission to relocate the taxi-rank to Bishopgate Street.

"The proposed move means that people will no longer have to cross a busy road to access the taxi rank, and with the number of people using Leeds Station expected to rise significantly over the coming years it will also make it easier for people to travel to and from the station using what is already a very busy street.

"Other improvements will include a bigger, more accessible and CCTV secured taxi shelter that will give passengers the opportunity to queue towards City Square.

"British Transport Police will continue to police the taxi shelter which will also continue to be covered by Taxi Watch and Network Rail assistance to help passengers and ensure their safety.

"Throughout this we’ve worked with representatives from disabled access groups and other members of the community across the city to discuss the proposals and helped shape the design to address their needs.

"We will continue to consider any proposals or suggestions to enhance the design further, as we finalise our scheme.”

Taxi drivers and disability campaigners previously protested the move in September, where Unite Leeds branch chairman told LeedsLive: "What happens when a London train arrives and you've got 100 people there, or on a Leeds United matchday outside The Scarborough Hotel, or on a Friday or Saturday night.

"When those taxis are called from Sovereign Street they're going to have to negotiate through traffic, through the general public. How long is that going to take?

"People are going to try steal taxis, it's going to cause fights.

"Are people going to feel secure? Are young girls on a night out going to feel secure? You don't want to be heading under the arches waiting for a taxi, you want to be next to the station.

"It's not going to work for disabled people, it's not going to work for people with young children, it's not going to work for young girls on a night out, it's not going to work for taxi drivers.


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PostPosted: Tue Nov 09, 2021 2:29 pm 
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Taxi drivers are also protesting - as the new rank will have space for just six taxis while the current one has space for 33.

Difficult to know who to believe with this kind of thing. The trade will tend to exaggerate things, as demonstrated by the headline about stealing taxis.

But, of course, the council's PR machine will make it all sound glorious even if, say, they're trying to sideline the trade.

But if rank space is really being reduced from 33 cars to six, then pretty obvious what the council is up to.


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PostPosted: Tue Nov 09, 2021 7:48 pm 
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sadly I doubt the council will listen to the protestors they never do :sad:

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PostPosted: Thu Jun 23, 2022 9:36 am 
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No sign of any movement here. But at least instead of the trade claiming it will mean stolen taxis and people fighting, it looks like it's the councillors 'trading blows' now :?


Council defends Leeds Station revamp amid anger over taxi rank move

https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/news/leeds ... p-24298707

Disabled campaigners had argued the changes weren't right

City councillors have traded blows over planned improvements around the front of Leeds Station, amid complaints from disabled groups and cab drivers.

Work on a £40m revamp will start in November this year and is expected to be completed by the summer of 2024.

The scheme, which is being done to help the station cope with rising numbers of passengers, will see New Station Street pedestrianised and the current taxi rank shifted onto Bishopgate Street below.

That plan has drawn anger from Unite, which represents Leeds’ hackney carriage drivers, with the union saying last year it will cost the trade business, as taxis will be out of sight from passengers leaving the station.

Disabled rights campaigners Access and Use-Ability Group (AUAG) have criticised the plans too, with just two lifts providing the only step-free access to Bishopgate Street from the station front.

The current ramp which links the cab rank to the street below is being controversially done away with.

Speaking at a meeting of senior Leeds councillors on Wednesday, Conservative opposition group leader Andrew Carter said: “It’s not true to say everybody’s happy with this.

“In general terms I support the scheme, but you can’t brush under the carpet the concerns of disability groups and the people who help ensure the night-time economy of this city is properly served.

“I want to see a better arrangement for disabled people.”

The council’s ruling Labour group, however, insist that the decision to move the taxi rank was Network Rail’s.

The current rank, which has been criticised itself for being difficult for wheelchair users to access, is on Network Rail land.

Age Friendly Leeds, the Leeds Disabled People’s Organisation and the Carer’s Network have all backed the scheme, the meeting was told.

The council’s Labour leader James Lewis, said: “I don’t think anybody’s attempting to brush people’s concerns under the carpet.

“We’ve never said it’s a scheme without opposition and without its challenges.

“The existing taxi rank, which I know the trade would like to keep, is not in the council’s gift to maintain because it’s not on council land or on its highways network.”

The council’s executive member for infrastructure, Coun Helen Hayden, insisted that Network Rail would be held to its pledge to maintain the lifts, in response to concerns they may break down.

She admitted that the scheme is “not exactly how we would want it”, but added: “In very constrained and difficult circumstances this is a very accessible scheme.

“People can use lifts if they can’t walk down the street and the overcrowding around (the current) taxi rank is terrible now.”

The scheme will also include a 560 cycle-hub which will sit in the public area effectively underneath the station, with bike lanes set to be created on Neville Street and Dark Neville Street.


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PostPosted: Fri Jun 24, 2022 11:11 am 
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this will be the grand scheme of a particular group or organisation and there will be a group of councillors determined to push it through and will no doubt be rewarded for that at a later date

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