Cabbies slam plan to cut size of rank

Feb 28 2008 By Gary Fanning

FURIOUS cabbies this week claimed late-night revellers’ safety could be at risk under proposals to reduce the size of a busy taxi rank in Hamilton.

Taxi drivers blasted plans to alter the stance outside Hamilton Palace in Keith Street to accommodate late-night buses.

The bus lay-by there becomes a taxi rank from 11.30pm and First Glasgow want this officially changed so that it also includes buses. Under the proposals, the bus will sit at the front of the bay.

Cabbies fear the move will hit their livelihoods and could lead to an upsurge in violent attacks and antisocial behaviour in the town centre.

The night bus was introduced last Easter on a trial basis by First Glasgow. The firm say their H1 night service has operated successfully since then and is popular because of its combination of quick boarding and £1 fare.

Taxi drivers claim that some people using the bus are taking drugs and are involved in antisocial behaviour.

The Hamilton District Radio Cars Committee and the Scottish Taxi Federation have united against the plans.

Gordon Frew, chairman of Hamilton TOA, said: “Our objections to the proposal centre on the fact that the taxi trade are having to give up approximately a third of our rank to accommodate a bus that has had minimal impact on the dispersement of late-night revellers from the Keith Street area.

“We were invited to a meeting where representatives included the council’s roads department, licensing and the police.

“The general consensus was that, due to a poor uptake in the service, if the bus was to continue it should operate from the bus stop a short walk away on Palace Grounds Road.

“But the bus has been allowed to continue to operate from the taxi rank ever since, to the detriment of the taxi trade.

“Ironically, we are receiving calls from people who have been on the bus but still need a taxi home because they are being dropped off by the bus at predetermined stops.

“That in itself should lead to the conclusion that the bus service does not provide a safe alternative mode of transport.

“If the council believe that the bus is a safe alternative late at night, I still can see no reason why the bus has to operate from our rank.”

John Elliott, planning manager and head of marketing at First Glasgow, said: “The entire bus stop lay-by in Keith Street is plated so that it becomes a taxi rank from 11.30pm. Late-evening buses to Motherwell after 11.30pm and the H1 Hamilton night bus also require to use this stop and this change is simply an administrative exercise to clarify the legal basis on which buses and taxis use the lay-by.

“In no way does this move reduce the taxi rank by one-third, as has been claimed.

“Due to the location of safety barriers, only the top half of the lay-by is actually used by taxis and the bottom half by buses and this will not change under these proposals.

“Given there will be no change on the ground, it is difficult to understand this objection on anything other than the taxi association attempting to achieve a captive monopoly where residents are denied choice. Anyone who previously stood for up to an hour waiting in the taxi queue outside Hamilton Palace would probably agree that more and better transport was needed at the weekends.

“This is supported by most agencies who understand that both buses and taxis have a part to play in achieving a successful night-time economy for Hamilton.”

He added: “Whilst it is disappointing that the local taxi association have made a number of ill-founded and unfortunate comments regarding our services and the people who use them, we hope we can work together for the benefit of the travelling public in Hamilton, which should be our main priority.”

A South Lanarkshire Council spokesman said: “The council’s proposal, following consultation with the police, is to reduce the area in Keith Street reserved solely for taxis from 57m to 40m. This would allow sufficient space for the safe and secure parking of a late-night bus, which, since its introduction, has proved popular.

“We will be putting these proposals out to public consultation and any comments or concerns we receive will be fully considered before any final decision is taken. The public consultation will begin on March 7 and will last for four weeks.”