I’m starting with a pet hate that has only recently been noticed, by myself, as a big problem though at least one other has mentioned it has been around for a while.
In the evening rush hour particularly, the queue of Hackney Carriages at Leeds Station overspills from New Station Street onto Boar Lane. This doesn’t pose much of a problem with cabs queuing in the direction of a westerly approach. Boar Lane and before it Duncan Street and Briggate have more than one lane. Although both can become blocked if a bus needs to stop to let passengers get on and off.
The big problem is Cabs approaching in an easterly direction. Firstly they have a right turn into New Station Street which means they get less priority on turning at those lights. Secondly, courtesy of the massive pedestrian island needed to cross the loop for entrance to Leeds Station, the approach road is single file. Immediately becoming dual file on boar lane but with the outside lane meant to be the filter lane for traffic turning into the mill hill dog leg (also courtesy of the loop). I say meant to be but this lane is regularly entirely blocked back to the single lane exit of City Square by queuing cabs.
What’s the answer? Metro has apparently secured funding for a southern entrance/exit to Leeds Station South Entrance to Leeds Station but I am at a loss as to where this could actually be situated and is unlikely to be able to provide provision for another taxi rank. The loop isn’t going to go away but the pedestrain island might be reduced by installation of an underground (subway) crossing but that won’t reduce the taxi queues and asociated congestion. A police presence might work and could earn some revenue, although I suspect the cabbies would argue they are not causing an obstruction as traffic can get past them to turn into Mill Hill by driving on the wrong side of the road on the roadspace meant to give access for traffic to Lower Basinghall Street. I also suspect you might find a few cabbies that don’t match the licence.
So what would you do? What is the solution
September 13, 2008 at 11:49 pm
Maybe, if LCC get their way, and all cabs are licenced, the licensing authority [not to be confused with those council officers who snoop around pub & clubs] will do what the Public Carriage Office sometimes do here in London.
Around the larger stations King’s Cross and St Pancras being good examples the new road layout which came with the re-development work means that the queue of taxis for KX runs the length of Pancras Rd and around the corner into Goods Way. The rank at St Pancras runs along Midland Rd, around the corner, under the East / West Link and around the corner again into Pancras Way.
The St Pancras rank is very good as it is a “trap”. Taxis enter at the Pancras way end and cannot get out until they pick up a passenger outside the station….. 400 yards away and around two corners. Thus, they do not enter the rank lightly.
The KX rank, on the other hand, is a free-for-all, it not being bounded by any kerb such as at St P. Cabs will sit there all day. Thus PCO inspectors come and move the caps on. Sadly they only do this for “Black Cabs”, not for licenced mini-cabs. They are a different story.
September 28, 2008 at 8:51 pm
I have recently found out the problem has been caused, at least substantially, by the fact LBA (Yeadon) has awarded the “cab” contract to a private hire firm. This means 90+ cabs that used to ply most of their trade at the airport are now plying it in central Leeds. Its a downside of the airport being sold off but would we not be talking of a cull in the animal kingdom. I think the alternative is “natural wastage” in the human domain. Surely no more licenses is the answer in the short term. Hard on the newcomers maybe, but at least Leeds wouldn’t be clogged/gridlocked by too many cabs.
October 21, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Well it looks like they have found a solution (not). They have opened up boar lane by removing the traffic island housing the traffic lights and buffer for the right hand filter lane into Mill Hill. Of course it now means the pedestrian crossing at the top of mill hill has gome and the junction has just reverted to normal priority (left turn, right turn,pedestrian)
October 28, 2008 at 10:16 pm
and there’s more http://www.secretleeds.co.uk/forum/Messages.aspx?ThreadID=1283&StartAtMessage=0琱