Station?

What is going on at the Station? Why have the permits not being renewed?

Do you think there should be more equality in the trade or the two tier system as it stands?

Discuss!!

Permits are not being renewed, and rumor has it that it's due to an offer by some Pirate Hire company to take over the running of the place. No confirmation available from station management so far other than to say all will be sorted by January. So sit back and wait

Taxi Licensing have been asked about the legallity of a Private Hire Firm having exclusive rights to a train or airports, This was asked by a Hackney Driver and not a phv op or the management of the station. The legal answer is that it is a private contract and if the station operator decided to use a pre-booking system rather than the current public hire queing system, they can. The legalilty of the PRE bit about the booking would have to be scrutinised, but this has happened at Birmingham Airport, recently.

Parking ban at Sheffield station to halt chaos - JOIN THE DEBATE







Published Date: 26 November 2009
DRIVERS will be banned from parking at Sheffield train station in a bid to try to solve traffic chaos outside, The Star can reveal.
East Midlands Trains is set to earmark funding to redesign the taxi rank where there are often huge tailbacks as black cabs mix with cars queuing to use a handful of free short-stay parking spaces.

The train company, which manages the station, is proposing to remove the free parking
spaces and motorists will instead be directed to use the multi-storey car park. Car park owner Q Park restored free short-stay parking there in April.

The move will mean only taxis and motorists dropping off passengers but not parking will use the area immediately outside the station building, cutting congestion.

Work on the scheme, believed to be costing £15,000, is set to be funded by East Midlands Trains and could take place in the New Year.

Hafeas Rehman, chairman of Sheffield Taxi Trade Association, said: "It will make a difference. There are still problems with queues at the moment but removing the short stay spaces will reduce congestion and improve capacity.

"The only issue we have is that to start with there will need to be staff directing traffic to ensure motorists know to use the multi-storey rather than drive on to where the short stay spaces are at present."

Q Park managing director Adam Bidder said: "We have been offering the first 30 minutes' parking free since April. The work to alter the taxi rank area was meant to have taken place a while ago and is to be welcomed."

Sheffield Council has given a cautious welcome to the measures but leader Coun Paul Scriven said he did not believe it would completely eradicate congestion.

He said: "We know that access problems at the new Sheffield Station have been a real issue. The station gateway design should have been right first time and designed with access in mind.

"However, I will now be watching this closely to try and ensure this chance to ease the problem isn't wasted.

"I know that we haven't seen eye to eye with East Midlands Trains in the past. However, I welcome the fact that they have agreed to engage on this issue."

Coun Scriven added: "There is still the problem of the narrow approach road, which cannot be widened due to a substation, and if you get a few cars dropping people off, there could still be a jam.

"The council may look into creating a drop-off point on the main road outside the station, instead."

An East Midlands Trains spokesperson said: "In conjunction with Sheffield Council and Q Park, East Midlands Trains is in the process of putting together plans to improve the drop off area at the front of Sheffield station.

"Once complete, this will bring welcome improvements for the thousands of passengers who use the station every day."

Licensing Section wrote:Taxi Licensing have been asked about the legallity of a Private Hire Firm having exclusive rights to a train or airports, This was asked by a Hackney Driver and not a phv op or the management of the station. The legal answer is that it is a private contract and if the station operator decided to use a pre-booking system rather than the current public hire queing system, they can. The legalilty of the PRE bit about the booking would have to be scrutinised, but this has happened at Birmingham Airport, recently.

Is there a PH firm involved in talks with the station managers? If so then we're all in a lot pf trouble and without a paddle.