New taxi rank plans in Coventry city centre put on hold

Drivers had hoped to park in a better city centre location



A campaign to create a new taxi rank in Coventry city centre has been derailed by lack of funds and an ongoing regeneration scheme. But council officers insist they will continue to work with representatives of the city’s Taxi Forum who were behind a 1,648-name petition.

Those backing the campaign want a new rank in The Burges/Cross Cheaping as an alternative to the current arrangement that sees taxis park up on Palmer Lane. A report drawn up ahead of this week’s [Wednesday] cabinet member for city services meeting at Coventry City Council explained that it followed a previous petition on the same subject which prompted a site meeting in April 2024 when the road layout was discussed.

But the report added that due to existing road widths, it was not physically possibly to install a rank due to the position of the existing bus stop. It explains: “Following this meeting, a preliminary design for a revised rank on The Burges/Cross Cheaping was prepared and subsequently presented to the Taxi Forum at their meeting in July 2024.

"The proposed design involved reducing the footway width outside of 2-12 The Burges/Cross Cheaping to create a new recessed taxi rank which had a length of approximately 26 metres and would provide ranking capacity for approximately five vehicles. To facilitate this design, the pedestrian footway fronting the properties referenced above would be reduced, however existing trees would be retained.”

It added that the preliminary design had been costed at around £30,000 but this did not allow for costs associated with utilities or for reinforcement or changes to the drainage meaning the total budget would be significantly more.

The report went on: “Currently, the proposal is unfunded and as such not in a position to proceed. It is therefore proposed to retain the proposed design and to await funding opportunities which may enable it to come forward at a point in the future. It is also noted that works on the adjacent Palmer Lane regeneration scheme are nearing completion and that changes to parking restrictions on The Burges/Cross Cheaping have recently been implemented as part of the ongoing City Centre Traffic Management Plan.

"These schemes have the potential to impact how traffic and pedestrians use this area and there is clearly benefit in allowing these schemes to be completed, so that their impact can be fully understood before bringing forward further changes to this area. As such it is proposed that officers continue to engage and work positively with representatives of the Taxi Forum concerning their operations in this area, but that plans to bring forward a change in the taxi rank location are deferred until the current phase of works in this location have been completed and it can be demonstrated that both the need remains and that suitable funding is available and secured to enable delivery.”

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/new-taxi-rank-plans-coventry-32529882

Taxi rank changes needed as the Burges 'is not a safe place'



A Coventry taxi driver has criticised a city council decision to do a U-turn on plans to create a new rank in The Burges/Cross Cheaping. The decision was announced in spite of more than 1,600 people signing a petition calling for the change.

Major Gill, who sits alongside councillors and officers on the council's Taxi Forum and who is the Coventry taxi branch chairman of the union Unite, said the creation of the extra spaces was vital for the safety of shoppers. Currently there is room for just four vehicles on the corner of Palmer Lane with others waiting on double yellow lines further down the road. And while drivers have an agreement for them to do that currently, the completion of the multi-million pound River Sherbourne project in the city centre will bring a stop to that arrangement.

Plans for a revised rank on The Burges/Cross Cheaping was prepared and presented to the Taxi Forum back in July 2024. But a subsequent council report said the work would cost around £30,000 with the costs associated with utilities and drainage on top of that.

It added: “Currently, the proposal is unfunded and, as such, not in a position to proceed. It is therefore proposed to retain the proposed design and to await funding opportunities which may enable it to come forward at a point in the future."

The petition presented to the council was signed by 1,648 members of the public and Mr Gill is concerned that many are now cautious of going into parts of the city centre fearful for their safety. He said the figure quoted was a small price to pay for safety and piece of mind.

"As a taxi driver, what we see is unthinkable, unbelievable and only a fraction gets reported," he added. "The Burges is not a safe place. The thought of having only four cabs is unthinkable because sometimes all four can go at the same time. It is not a good place for the elderly or mothers with kids to wait."

The proposed plan which is now on hold would have seen wheelchair accessible taxis using the existing four-car rank with a new one for nine taxis created in Cross Cheaping. Historically there was a rank there - paid for by a group of 40 drivers from Tiffany Taxis - but this was lost nearly 20 years ago.

Mr Gill added: "There are other taxi ranks but people tend to head to this one. For the first time in a long time all the shops are occupied in The Burges and we just want people to be safe and enjoy the city centre."

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/taxi-rank-changes-needed-burges-32789916