Taxi access to stations

[whole diary]

[Mark A]

A taxi-related notice at Kemble was a reminder of the obscure world of access to stations (and costs imposed on multimodal travel). The mention of just two taxi firms made me wonder if the sort of one man band bookable rural taxi service has melted away.

Mark

[ChrisB]

Those are taxis licensed to wait/ply for hire on the station forecourt.

There's been no change for decades - at least from when trains were privatised - TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) licence taxis (not usually private hire, although some do hire station buildings) to operate from their car parks/forecourts/taxi ranks.

Stations are private property, and TOCs legally have the right to say who can ply for any trade from that property. Private hire operating off-site can use the station to pick up (pre-)booked customers like any other private owner can.

That notice reinforces the companies that are licenced.

[grahame]

Those are taxis licensed to wait/ply for hire on the station forecourt.

Indeed - and ARE there typically taxis waiting / plying for business at Kemble station?

Please follow up, members - are taxis generally waiting / plying for hire at your local station?  If not, how easy is it to get a taxi and is there a single source / booking mechanism you would use (be it a local co-operative or something like Uber) or would you be searching / calling lots of different numbers?

[ChrisB]

*Generally*, but I don't know GWRs^▸ (Great Western Railway) contract with their licenced taxis - they are required to have at least one taxi assigned to the rank during train running hours. Of course, a bust train might mean that taxi is taken by the time you arrive - so have to await its return. But there should be at least one assigned. This is certainly the way Chiltern run their ranks, and it is for the taxis to arrange their shifts in order that this arrangement works.

The few times I've been to Kemble (and Stroud at a tad more often), there has been a taxi available.

[Mark A]

Those are taxis licensed to wait/ply for hire on the station forecourt.

Indeed - and ARE there typically taxis waiting / plying for business at Kemble station?

Please follow up, members - are taxis generally waiting / plying for hire at your local station?  If not, how easy is it to get a taxi and is there a single source / booking mechanism you would use (be it a local co-operative or something like Uber) or would you be searching / calling lots of different numbers?

This sounds like a job for a poll or two. I seldom take them, visually, there's plenty at Bath Spa during the day, rather less availability into the evenings and often a wait for taxis later in the evening when the city's bus service has also fizzled.

Anecdotally, advance-booking a taxi in Bath to e.g. the railway station for a train, is a risk as, once it's booked, the taxi booking system holds the job until the appropriate time and then chucks it into the pool in the hope that a driver is available to pick it up.

Also, booking via an app is encouraged and the last time I tried a phone booking the thing went to dev/null.

(I may have this completely wrong as to how the industry now works, but taxi drivers seem to be struggling with it too...)

Also, a significant taxi-travel requirement is for accessible vehicles and I'm not sure how this is met now.

Mark

[grahame]

This sounds like a job for a poll or two. ...

I considered that, but then tried to think how I would do / write that and failed to find an adequate approach.

[ChrisB]

Also, a significant taxi-travel requirement is for accessible vehicles and I'm not sure how this is met now.

Our licencing council insist that all new 'black cabs' are accessible. So we have plenty here.

Private Hire are a law unto themselves - but definitely realise the amount of work that is out there for accessible vehicles, so most companies have some....but they don't all work around the clock, so getting one late in the evening is quite a lottery unless booked well in advance.

[Chris from Nailsea]

At Nailsea & Backwell, there is no taxi rank and neither taxis nor private hire cars ply for trade anywhere near the station.

The same is true of Bedminster, Parson Street, Yatton and Worle - stations either side of Nailsea & Backwell on the main line.

[Mark A]

*Admires Nailsea and Backwell station and surrounds on Google Streetview*

Ah, of course, the Bristol and Exeter Railway. Money was squeaky-tight.

Mark