TAXI drivers have said the closure of their rank at Brighton station could be a blessing in disguise if its temporary replacement proves a success.

The station rank will be closed for 12 days from today to allow for repaving of the taxi approach road.

The closure will mean taxis will be allowed to park up on the south side of Terminus Road running down to the station to pick-up passengers – a site which had historically been used as a taxi rank.

Taxi bosses claim they have been pushing to use Terminus Road as a permanent solution to the regular station gridlock but had been met with opposition from council officers who claimed the location would cause late-night disturbance for residents and safety risks for passengers.

The roadworks, which are expected to run until Friday, March 6, are the final phase of the Brighton Station improvement scheme which will see the re-paving of the area, new lighting, improved bus stop facilities and increased seating and “greenery”.

During the works, southbound traffic will not be permitted in Terminus Road from the junction with Bath Street with diversions in place.

Repairs to the £1 million Seven Dials roundabout, where paving slabs are beginning to crack just a year after their installation, are being put on hold for the duration of the station works to minimise delays.

Taxi drivers were only informed about the temporary closure to the station rank on Wednesday.

A council spokeswoman said Network Rail had ruled out using the back of the station as a temporary rank because of ongoing building work for a new lift.

Proposals to permanently move the rank to Frederick Place were rejected in 2013 after more than 1,000 people signed a petition.

John Streeter, of Brighton and Hove Streamline Taxis, said that having more than 300 taxi drivers paying £500 to use the 18 official spaces at the front of the station had lead to the current situation where the area was “over-ranked” and “dangerous”.

He said the city was one of the only not to allow free access to the station and he wanted all taxi drivers to be free to use the Terminus Road rank should it become a permanent rank.

He added customers would see an improved service from the change while hard-up drivers would no longer have to pay annual fees of £500.

He said: “We would love to have a permanent rank along Terminus Road.

“It’s something that we in the trade have wanted for years, ever since they first announced the gateway project.”