Action to improve the movement and safety of customers to and from Harrogate’s town centre night time bars and restaurants is to come into effect from Monday, 2 November.
A new evening hours taxi rank is being established in Parliament Street to operate between 6pm and 8am seven days a week.
It aims to address long-running road safety concerns that arose from illegal taxi pick-ups in the Parliament Street and King’s Road area.
The rank, which will accommodate up to ten vehicles, is being introduced by North Yorkshire County Council working in partnership with Harrogate Borough Council, which is the taxi licensing authority. It was approved in June after extensive consultation with residents, businesses and the taxi trade by both authorities. Officers from both authorities will monitor the operation of this rank and the usage of others in the town and will review the arrangement in 12 months.
Up until now, parking in this location has been unrestricted. Existing pay and display arrangements will remain during the daytime, but the public will not be allowed to park in the rank between 6pm and 8am and any doing so will receive a penalty charge notice.
North Yorkshire County Councillor Don Mackenzie, Executive Member for Highways, said:
We and Harrogate Borough Council have been concerned about the risks presented by taxis waiting to pick up passengers at inappropriate locations in this part of the town, for example on double yellow lines near traffic signals.
This new rank provides a safe alternative, reducing the risk to the taxis’ customers, other road users and the taxi drivers themselves.
However, we would remind motorists not to park in the rank between 6pm and 8am. Not only would that disrupt the efficiency of the rank, but anyone doing so would risk receiving a penalty notice.
