Trial run for taxis on Drake Street

Trial run for taxis on Drake Street

Public hire taxis will be allowed access to the bus-only route at the bottom of Drake Street for a four-week trial period.

This decision has come after drivers had launched a series of complaints claiming customers were being charged more for journeys in and out of the town centre in a campaign supported by MP Simon Danczuk.

Private hire taxis will still be banned from the town-centre route, however, and Councillor Shakil Ahmed believes this is unfair: “We should not discriminate between public and private hire, they are both equally taxis in my view.”

Councillor Mohammed Zaman also believes that the private hire taxi companies should have equal privileges. He said “It should be accessible by both public and private hire taxis.”

Councillor Billy Sheerin disagrees with this view, believing that the 125 public hire taxis in the town, should gain some advantage. He said: “There is no privilege to having a public hire plate at present and this would give them some sort of privilege.”

Another councillor who feels there should be a difference between the two is Councillor Peter Winkler. He said: “There is a difference between public and private hire if you ask me. Public hire have to meet much more regulations than private hire do.”

Rochdale Township chairman Councillor Cecile Biant was unsure when the trial would commence: “The portfolio holder has advised me that it has been arranged for a trial period where taxis can use the bottom of Drake Street. She can’t specify when yet but she has asked for it to be done as soon as possible.”