Victory for taxi drivers as Chorley rank reopens on Tuesdays after eight years

The win comes after campaigning by the Chorley Taxi Association, who pushed to reverse a 2017 decision that had handed over the bottom taxi rank in High Street to Tuesday market traders. For nearly eight years, the change forced taxis to relocate further up the road leaving shoppers - many elderly or carrying heavy bags - to make an inconvenient uphill trek just to find a ride home.

Now, on Tuesdays when the market is not running, Hackney taxis have permission to be able to use the taxi rank at this location.

“It simply wasn’t practical,” said Shaz Malik, spokesman for the Association. “It hurt the trade, but more importantly, it made life harder for the public. This wasn’t just about taxis it was about access and fairness.”

Mr Malik said the 2017 decision had gone unchallenged not due to lack of concern, but lack of representation. Although a public consultation was held, the individuals expected to speak on behalf of the taxi trade failed to attend the key meetings. With no voices at the table, the rank was reallocated.

He said: “By the time we looked into it, the decision had long been made and we had to start from scratch. This became one of our top priorities.”

In September 2023, the then newly-formed Chorley Taxi Association formally approached Chorley Council over the issue, and have had to ask Lancashire County Council (LCC) to amend the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) governing the space.

“There’s no quick fix with TROs,” Mr Malik explained. “It has to go through the county’s legal team, be published for public feedback, and then approved again. Even changing a sign involves several departments. We had no idea how complex it would be.”

Grateful

Despite the delays, Malik credits both LCC and Chorley Council for their cooperation and support throughout the process. He said: “We’re grateful to both councils for working with us. They didn’t brush us off they understood the issue and stayed engaged all the way through.”

Headded: “It’s a win for both sides. The public gets easier access to taxis, and the trade regains a key rank we never should have lost. It proves that when the right people are at the table and the system is engaged properly, real change is possible.”

Lancashire County Council

Matt Townsend, director of Highways and Transport at Lancashire County Council, said: "On Tuesdays, when Chorley Market is running, the parking bays will continue to be prohibited to vehicles, as they will be within the closed area of the road. However, on Tuesdays when the market is not running, we have granted Hackney taxis permission to be able to use the taxi rank at this location."

Chorley Borough Council

Executive Member for Planning and Development, Councillor Alex Hilton said: “Chorley Council can appoint taxi ranks under taxi legislation. We made changes to our existing ranks in August 2024, including making the amendment which was suggested by Chorley Taxi Association. We understand Lancashire County Council Highways need to modify the parking/ waiting orders to allow these ranks to be used and we continue to work with County whilst they make these changes.”