Shoppers in North End are set to benefit from an additional transport option as a new taxi rank is being trialled on London Road close to the junction with Laburnum Grove.
The rank, located at the end of the bus lane, close to shops such as Cash Generator and Iceland, is open to taxis for 22 hours a day, allowing buses to still use it exclusively between the hours of 7am and 9am as shown by the new signs.
Following requests from city taxi drivers and conversations with local bus companies, the trial, was given the go ahead at the Traffic and Transportation decision meeting in March this year.
Cllr Lynne Stagg, Cabinet member for Traffic and Transportation says: “Not everyone can use the bus, walk or cycle, and we need to make sure their needs are being met by our transport network. I hope this taxi rank will be used safely and will give people another way of travelling home or further afield after accessing the many shops in London Road. We’re committed to supporting local businesses and helping them to thrive, and this trial supports both the taxi driver trade and businesses based in North End.”
The trial will be continuously monitored to make sure it is safely run, and as part of the experimental traffic regulation order (ETRO) the trial could be stopped at any time if there are any concerns about safety, or if the taxi rank is not being used.
The ETRO lasts 18 months with the initial six-month period forming a period of consultation on the scheme. The future of the rank after the trial will then be discussed at a Traffic and Transportation decision meeting to decide whether to make it permanent.
You can view the ETRO here – https://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ETRO-87-2022-Sealed-London-Road-Order.pdf
If you have any queries regarding this ETRO please email licensing@portsmouthcc.gov.uk or write to Licensing Manager, Licensing Service, Civic Offices, Guildhall Square, Portsmouth, PO1 2AL, quoting ref ETRO 87/2022