Taxi rank switch is hailed fare play

THE taxi rank at Mumps station is to be moved following complaints from fed-up drivers and passengers.

Currently all traffic leaving the station has to turn left on to Oldham Way. That means passengers travelling to the Huddersfield Road or Lees Road side of Oldham have to travel to the King Street roundabout and back down the other side of the bypass — past the tram stop they just left clocking up meter charges on the way.

We reported last week how several passengers had complained their usual fares have more than doubled because of the extra length of their journey.

The council met with taxi drivers yesterday and agreed to move the rank across the bypass from Mumps to Prince Street, the new road running at a right angle to the bypass.

Councillor Dave Hibbert, cabinet member for housing, transport and regeneration said: “Passengers will walk across the road and they will be able to get a taxi in any direction they want. The important thing was to get something done quickly; something that wouldn’t cost half a million. We are never going to find a perfect solution, but this is the best one available.”

The new taxi rank is expected to be in place by the end of next week.

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