By Alan Healy
No date has been set for the introduction of new taxi ranks in the city centre due to disagreements over where they should be located, it has emerged.
The Derry News revealed in June of last year proposals to create seven new taxis ranks in the city.
Three of those were planned for Shipquay Street which would accommodate 15 taxis at the lower half of the street, from Castle Street to Bank Place.
In addition, there were also plans for new taxi ranks created at William Street, the Strand Road and at Spencer Road in the Waterside.
In December of last year, it also emerged that talks were ongoing between Transport NI, the City Centre Initiative (CCI) and North West Taxi Proprietors.
One of the main complaints made by people visiting the city centre at night is the lack of a centralised, safe and organised taxi pick-up point, where people would be guaranteed a steady stream of taxis arriving into the rank to take them home.
It was hoped that the new taxi ranks, particularly those planned for Shipquay Street, would help improve Derry’s night time economy by allowing taxis to flow in and out of the city more easily, making it easier for people to get home from the city centre at night.
In addition, it had been hoped that the new taxi ranks at Shipquay Street would be manned by wardens to supervise the queueing system.
The issue of taxi availability arose at a meeting convened by the Sinn Fein MP Elisha McCallion last week to discuss ways of increasing safety in the city centre at night.
Speaking afterwards, Mrs McCallion said that one of the actions emerged from the meeting was the ‘need for secure night time taxi ranks in Shipquay Street with the likes of taxi wardens to direct the queues which happens in many other cities’.
No consensus
However, the Derry News has learned that the new taxi ranks for Shipquay Street have been delayed due to difficulties in gaining consensus those involved in the discussions as to where the ranks should be situated.
The Derry News contacted Transport NI for an update on the plans, if difficulties had been encountered during the discussions regarding the location, and what date the new ranks were scheduled to come into operation.
Responding, a spokesperson for the Department for Infrastructure (DfI), which has responsibility for Transport NI, said that it ‘hoped a consensus could now be reached’.
The spokesperson added that the implementation of the new taxi ranks would depend on the results of a formal consultation.
“The Department is currently liaising with North West Taxi Proprietors, City Centre Initiative and the business community to try and identify suitable locations for a number of taxi ranks in the city centre, including Waterloo Place, William Street, Police Court Street and Shipquay Street,” the spokesperson said.
“Recently a new taxi rank was introduced on Lower Clarendon Street.
“The Department would hope that a consensus can be reached and that a formal consultation could be carried out over the coming months.
“Subsequent implementation of the taxi ranks would depend on the outcome of the formal consultation process.”
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