Charles Bobbett calls for Taxi Ranks for south Meath Towns

Press Release

Call For Taxi Ranks for South Meath Towns

Meath County Council must include taxi ranks in their local area plans, to take the needs of service operators, users and local needs into account.

The number of taxis for hire has increased dramatically in Ashbourne and the towns of Ratoath, Dunboyne, and Dunshaughlin. The result is insufficient space for operators, which causes local traffic congestion.
 
Since deregulation, no progress whatsoever has been made in providing taxi ranks in large population centres, areas which had no ranks prior to deregulation. In Meath, population growth has not been confined to Navan, which is the only Meath Town that has taxi ranks. Ashbourne (with a population 8,528 in 2006 census) and Dunboyne (with a population 5,713 in 2006 census) are areas of huge growth both commercially and residentially, but have no ranks. The provision of ranks in such towns would bring social and economic benefits and would also help to distribute taxis more evenly.
 
While local operators do great work in difficult circumstances, there is an obligation on the Meath County Council to provide for them in the local plans for the four local towns of Ashbourne, Ratoath, Dunshaughlin, and Dunboyne. Taxi operators work hard to provide a good reliable service for the local community, and do require ranks to allow their business to be sustained. Residents and business would benefit from improved service provided by taxi ranks.
 
Council planners must include taxi ranks in their plans, as upgrades and improvements take place in the local towns, which take into account the needs of the operators, users and local needs as well.
 
For further information contact:

Charles Bobbett
Councillor
charlesbobbett (at) yahoo.com