'We know the best site for Workington taxi rank' - cabbies
Last updated at 20:03, Thursday, 02 August 2012
Cabbies in Workington think that Jane Street would be the best location for the town’s night-time taxi rank.
Allerdale council is consulting on plans to move the Washington Street rank because congestion there has resulted in taxi drivers being fined and cautioned.
An option put forward to move the night-time rank into the pedestrianised shopping area in Risman Place has sparked opposition, with Washington Square centre manager Dave Fletcher saying the idea would create a rat-run and would not be allowed to happen.
Other options are the lay-by on Jane Street opposite Sadies Takeaway, Murray Road and the Udale Street car park.
Cabbie Ged Glaister, 44, of Workington, put forward the Jane Street suggestion.
He said: “There are no other spots. The town centre won’t happen, Pow Street won’t happen and Murray Road is too far away.
“It would be best going onto Jane Street with a filter lane going back where the old market was.”
Ian Melville, 44, of Workington, said: “It’s totally ridiculous to put it in Risman Place.
“You’ll have people peeing in doorways, and you’ll have windows smashed.
“Outside Sadies on Jane Street would be the best place.
“The overflow could go to the Central Station car park.”
Kenny Langcake, 44, of Workington town centre, agreed that a rank outside on Jane Street with an overflow in Central Station car park would be best.
He added: “We need somewhere to go. There’s nothing going to stop people picking up on Washington Street because we are Hackney carriages.”
For David Fee, 51, of Workington, a rank on Jane Street with taxis feeding in past Argos and through the loading area under the Parksafe car park is the preferred option.
He said: “I think that would be the safest idea.”
Ray Cottier, 52, of Workington, said: “The town centre is a non-starter. That granite in the square cost a lot of money. They don’t want oil on it.
“Jane Street layby is the only alternative.
“I think they should just leave it where it’s at. The police can move people on if there are too many.”
Carl McGuinness, 34, of Workington, added that Risman Place would be ideal but would not happen.
He said: “There they’d have to get the first taxi; they couldn’t go down and bargain prices.”
He added that Jane Street would be the best alternative.
But David Rothery, 60, of Salterbeck, Workington, backed Risman Place.
He said: “There used to be an official taxi rank in there. It’s no good on Murray Road because people won’t go from the town centre to it at night.
“If the taxi rank was on Jane Street people would just pick up on Washington Street anyway.”
Allerdale council is consulting on the proposals. To get involved, visit www.aller dale.gov.uk/licensing, email licensing@allerdale.gov.uk or call 01900 702702.
First published at 19:22, Thursday, 02 August 2012
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk
why not use both as long as the taxi drivers use them properly, ie if they are full don't try to get on the ends of the queue and block the road its down to common sense really!!!
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@Albert
Taxi drivers will go where the passengers are, and while customers continue to turn up on Washingtons Street, the taxi drivers will continue to pick up there and queue there and the problem will not go away **unless** the taxi drivers are forced to stop using Washington Street which will force the passengers to go to Jane Street.If you continue "using both", people will just do as they always have done and converge on Washington Street. Drivers waiting on Jane Street will get very little business and just go back to using Washington Street, so you have to force the issue @Albert, that's why you just can't use both.It just needs the new system to get established.Posted by Derek on 9 August 2012 at 12:40