Sheffield station: Cabbies hail victory in row with East Midlands Railway over 'gridlock' and 'traffic chaos'
Taxi drivers are celebrating after East Midlands Railway dropped plans to slash permit numbers at Sheffield station.
Cabbies were facing a cut from 250 to 177 and an increase in the annual fee from £700 to £1,140 - some 62 per cent.
The proposals were among ideas to end gridlock at busy times unveiled by EMR in March.
The long running problem saw black cab drivers call a payment strike in October and refuse to renew their permits until EMR tackled the “chaotic traffic environment.”
Hafeas Rehman, chairperson of Sheffield Taxi Trade Association, said they had ended the strike and were paying arrears following the decision.
He added: “We’re pleased. Hackney cabs are not the cause of congestion at the station.”
- Closing the public drop-off point and making it private hire only
- Closing the public short-stay car park and making it ‘blue badge and contractor’ only
- Converting a taxi rank on Cross Turner Street into a 30-minute public drop-off zone
- Making the area directly in front of the station black cabs only
- Considering the future of the rail staff car park on Turner Street
- Working on improvements to traffic management
An East Midlands Railway spokesperson said: “We are currently working through a revised scheme with the council and taxi driver representatives. More information will be shared once timescales are finalised.”
A Q-Park car park on Turner Street is £2 for half-an-hour. A spokesperson said it also had a ‘10-minute drive out period’ which means you do not have to pay if you park for less then this time.
But they confirmed this feature was not advertised on signs or the firm’s website.
In March, a temporary one-way circular system was set up to allow work by Northern Powergrid.
Vehicles entered via Fornham Street and approached the station on Cross Turner Street before exiting via Turner Street.