Preston taxi rank in Market Street to open round the clock

The city council’s Cabinet approved a request to bring the hackney carriage stand in Market Street into use 24/7.

It currently serves the evening and night time economy, opening between 6.30pm and 9am with spaces for a maximum of four hackney carriages.

A report which came before Cabinet members on Wednesday states: “All parties agree that there would be daytime demand for a hackney carriage stand at this location.

“It is proposed that this taxi rank is made available for such use 24 hours daily.”

The changes were initiated after The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) asked Lancashire County Council (LCC) to appoint hackney carriage stands in Chapel

Street and in Theatre Street, both to operate 24-hours a day and the variation of the existing part-time hackney carriage stand in Market Street to a 24-hours a day stand.

A public consultation followed. The proposed hackney carriage stand in Chapel Street drew nine objections while one objection was lodged against plans for the taxi rank in Theatre Street.

However none were sent regarding the plans to bring in a round the clock service in Market Street.

Since then LCC has given its consent to the variation of the current part-time hackney carriage stand in Market Street, Preston to a 24 hours a day stand.

The stand in Theatre Street will now be used for Goods Vehicle Loading and Unloading only.