Halifax taxis: Here is where you will be able to get a taxi if plans to move Halifax town centre ranks at Commercial Street, George Square, Southgate and Market Street go ahead

Calderdale licensing councillors have been given an outline of proposals which have been developed in response to changing traffic flows resulting from two major town centre road schemes.

An aim of both the Halifax Future High Street Fund George Square project and the A629 Phase 2 Town Centre project is to create new public spaces, improving accessibility and public safety.

This means creating areas where people can move around free of traffic while improving vehicle circulation around the town and public transport connectivity.

It is not planned to reduce the number of taxi rank places, rather their placing and capacity at some of the sites, Calderdale Council Major Projects Team members told councillors.

It is proposed to remove the existing ranks on Commercial Street, George Square, Southgate and Market Street.

These will be replaced by ranks elsewhere on Commercial Street, George Square and Market Street, with new ranks to be introduced at Albion Street and Union Street.

A number of proposed disabled parking bays on Commercial Street and Ward’s End will become taxi ranks between 11pm and 5am, if proposals are ultimately adopted.

And a proposed loading bay at Horton Street would become a taxi rank from 8pm to 8am.

Project officers met with representatives of the Halifax Hackney Carriage Association to discuss the schemes, councillors were told.

Members commented on a lack of ranks by The Piece Hall on Horton Street and by Halifax Borough Market, where the council is investing in extensive refurbishment.

Members of the public attending the meeting were also allowed to raise some concerns about siting and numbers in some places.

The Licensing and Regulatory Committee members were told the changes are set to come in around springtime.

A distinguishing factors of Hackney Carriages (Taxis) is that, unlike private hire vehicles, they can “rank up”.

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