Issue - meetings

This report considers two petitions received regarding taxi rank provision in Epsom Town Centre, in the context of proposals to relocate a taxi rank as part of the Plan E Town Centre Highway and Public Realm Improvement Scheme.

The Committee:

(1)            Noted the petitions

(2)            Agreed that representations contained in the petitions be taken into account prior to any decision being made about whether to re-locate the taxi rank.

The Committee was informed that as part of Surrey County Council’s Plan E Highway Improvement Scheme changes were being made to improve the market place and surrounding roads and junctions.    This required the relocation of the taxi rank near to the Clocktower to another location on the High Street.  It was noted that whilst Epsom and Ewell Borough Council had responsibility for deciding the taxi rank location, it was probable that it would be in the location shown on the County Council’s Phasing Plan for the scheme, ie:  outside TK Maxx in place of the current bus stand which was being moved. 

The Epsom Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association had anticipated that the decision to re-locate would be made in favour of the Plan E proposals, and had submitted a petition in two parts, one signed by members of the public and the second by licensed taxi drivers, with a combined total of 522 signatures.

The Committee was informed that the representations contained in the petitions would officially be taken into consideration at the time of the decision being made, which would trigger the commencement of the formal statutory process.  At that point members of the public would be invited to comment on the submission of a Road Traffic Order.  However, it was felt appropriate for Members to be informed of the representations prior to submission.

To that end, the Committee noted two verbal representations from the Epsom Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, who had concluded that if the taxi rank were to be located outside of TK Maxx it would adversely impact the drivers and the service currently provided to people using the Ashley centre.  There were also concerns expressed regarding the retention of a private hire operator with an office in the Clocktower.

The Committee whilst not in a position to influence the decision to move the taxi rank were sympathetic to the concerns expressed in the representations and the speakers were assured that they would be informed as soon as the details of the formal statutory process were confirmed.  At that point they would have the opportunity to repeat (and expand if desired) on their representations.

Accordingly, the Committee agreed the recommendations to note the petitions and that the representations contained in the petitions be taken into account before any decision was made about whether to re-locate the taxi rank.