Delighted to see Airdrie now has an official taxi rank - but is it in the right location?

Nov 12 2008 by Ian Bunting, Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser

SIR - I was glad to see that North Lanarkshire Council have finally decided to site an official taxi rank in Airdrie.

I, however, believe that the old taxi rank at Hallcraig Street would have been the better choice, freeing up the already choked one way system. I imagine that the new rank is a compromise rather than an enforced best solution.

I first wrote to the Advertiser about this subject over two years ago, and this situation has dragged on for too long. The taxi drivers in general have not done themselves any favours, as around 2000 complaints will testify.

Having watched two or three taxis park in a space which could take up to five cars, and do so in such a manner as to block the area to other car users, only drawing forward when another taxi came in to view, while the police and traffic wardens did nothing, was nothing short of scandalous.

On numerous occasions I also witnessed taxi drivers being verbally abusive to people who had parked there, and I actually saw taxi drivers moving an elderly woman from where she was parked, telling her she couldn’t park there.

Taxi drivers must realise that other tax paying road users have as much right to use the roads as they do, and I hope that in future, should the need arise, North Lanarkshire Council move quicker to stamp out the bad attitude displayed by some taxi drivers.

Name and address supplied.