Source: Yorksire Evening Post
Leeds city centre is being brought to a standstill by queuing taxis.
Every day scores of black and white Hackney carriages park up on key routes waiting for work. One queue often stretches along the Headrow causing chaos for buses.
Leeds City Council was forced to act after the problem became serious in Boar Lane near the train station. A ’snake’ of parked taxis waiting to pick up passengers spilled out into Boar Lane from New Station Street.
Two temporary ranks were set up in Eastgate and Meadow Lane close to Asda’s headquarters, but this has only shunted the problem on.
The glut of taxis is believed to have been caused by a number of factors.
These include the removal of a rank at Leeds Bradford Airport, a lack of parking near the station for taxis waiting to pick up passengers and a fall in customers.
The council’s traffic department is trying to solve the problem but privately some in the council believe there is no solution, at least in the short term.
A spokesman said: “The council provides numerous taxi ranks around the city and wider district for taxis to wait and the public to find them.
“However, problems occur when too many taxis try to use the most popular ranks, causing congestion for buses and other road users.
“The rail station is regarded by many as the main city centre rank, but efforts are being made to encourage both the public and taxis to also use other locations.
“We continue to work with the police, Metro and the taxi firms to provide adequate ranks, both permanent and temporary, the most recent being a bay on Meadow Lane which will hold 20 taxis when fully operational.
“But it is vital that taxi drivers work with us so that key points, particularly around the train station and The Headrow, do not become clogged and cause problems.”
FirstGroup spokeswoman Denise Robertson said: “First services in Leeds city centre have most definitely suffered over the last few days as the result of taxis parking outside designated taxi ranks, creating congestion along many of our key corridors.”
She added: “The current situation cannot continue and we apologise to our passengers for any inconvenience caused and thank them for their patience while this matter is resolved.”
One bus-user Pamela Hughes, 69, of Rodley, said: “It’s just absolutely horrendous from about the Town Hall right until the bottom of Eastgate because all the taxis are having to park there outside Primark.
“I got off the 760 Keighley bus at the art gallery. I said to the driver I bet you don’t pass me before I walk to Primark – and he didn’t.”
Ken Gill, chairman of Streamline Telecabs which has 150 cabs, said: “It’s very quiet this time of year. A lot of the business comes off the station.
“There’s no easy answer to get cars into the station. We are using the Headrow as a feeder rank with our own marshalls with radios.
“Unfortunately there are 537 taxis in Leeds and only a certain number of rank spaces. It’s a problem we are working with the bus company and the council.
“A solution is to take the buses off the station and give the rank back to the taxis like it was a couple of years ago.
“The airport was sold off by the council. The Hackney Carriages lost their rank – it was a commercial decision – we couldn’t do anything about it.
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