LETTER: Additional area for taxis would reduce congestion

It makes sense to have a small additional taxi area at the rear of the station to help reduce the congestion at the front of the station especially at peak times and to serve areas to the north of the station.

However, for taxi journeys to the south, central and seafront areas of the city it would seem to make more sense to keep the main taxi rank at the front.

>> Union reacts to Brighton station taxi rank move 

If the main taxi rank is moved to the rear of the station, taxis would get caught up in the congestion around the New England area and there might be more difficulties for residents in that area.

The existing traffic congestion in the New England area is already getting worse with the building of the Valley Gardens scheme and taxis from the back of the station are likely to get caught up in this, with the additional issue of higher fares.

Some of the congestion in the Surrey Street and Queen’s Road area at the moment is actually the result of another traffic scheme that was implemented about four years ago, which restricted the road space in both of those streets and removed an existing bus lane.

The council and the railway company should be consulting properly with residents, taxi drivers and public transport users rather than imposing a scheme on people following the failures of another council traffic scheme.

Taxis are a relatively environmentally friendly form of transport so we should be encouraging their use alongside other forms of public transport.

They are also important for some older people, people with disabilities and others who need to get from A to B for different reasons.

Do the “Green” councillors and the MP for the area really want to see more displacement of traffic into residential areas? It would be much better to support public transport projects and an innovative park and ride scheme for our city.

Rob Heale, Chatham Place, Brighton