70 PRIVATE HIRE AND TAXI MONTHLY


MARCH 2009 IN THE NEWS BLACKPOOL CABBIES APPEAL TO SAVE LINK TO THE PAST


Cab drivers have appealed to conserva- tion chiefs to back their campaign to save a his- toric taxi rank in Blackpool. The Talbot Square rank, known as The Fountain, was suspended in Jan- uary to enable the second phase of Prom- enade drainage work to be carried out.


Drivers have so far had no assurances about whether the facility will be reinstated when the


work is completed. Now,


the Blackpool


Licensed Taxi Opera- tors Association (BLTOA) - who first raised their concerns last October - has writ- ten to English Heritage calling on it to back its campaign to preserve the rank, which is in the Talbot Square Conser- vation Area. BLTOA joint secretary, Bill Lewtas, says in the letter that the rank “is known to generations


of taxi drivers as The Fountain, owing to the fact that in the 1800s and early 1900s there was a fountain there. The shape of the roads, taxi rank and buildings are unchanged for well over a century and in the exact location where hansom cabs were ranked, taxis rank. “A link with the past has been lost and taxis are now parked up on near- by, less suitable taxi ranks. I should also


Talbot Square in 1902 the fountain can be seen on the left


mention that these are on narrow pavements and will not support large numbers of peo- ple, or taxi marshalling arrangements in sum- mer when Blackpool is busier.” The Fountain rank, which runs alongside the central pedestrian island in the square, was named after a drinking fountain and shelter that was unveiled there in 1870 and removed in the 1920s.


During the drainage work, the same number of taxi spaces - 25 - are available in the town centre, with extra provi- sion created elsewhere including at the Count- ing House rank which is also on Talbot Square.


Cllr Maxine Callow, cab- inet member for tourism and regenera-tion, said she believed the current arrangements for taxis in Talbot Square were working well but added drivers would be


The taxi rank Photos courtesy of the MEN Group


involved in decisions as town centre redevelop- ment goes ahead. Cllr Callow told the Blackpool Gazette: “We want to talk to taxi oper- ators at the first opportunity to ensure their needs are met and


we have an effective system for passengers and drivers.


“No decision has been made on the future of the Talbot Square rank but taxi drivers will be fully consulted on any proposals.”


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