Sadiq Khan will open up the Elizabeth line and tell the world London is open for business with a all singing and dancing tube line. He will also state this tube will bring more business to London.
I’ve heard him in interviews stating this is a step free tube line allowing disabled people to travel without of fear of steps and stairs. That’s all well and good but when they exit out of a station they will struggle to find a taxi waiting to help them get to their final destination. The reason for the lack of taxis will be because of TFL’s and local councils lack of any political will to site Taxi ranks at these stations to help with the increase in passenger numbers. So far we have no viable Taxi rank at Tottenham Court Road station which will become one of the busiest tube stations in London.
Westminster Council and Camden Council both have not listened to the Cab Ranks Committees proposal’s for a rank to service the station. What you will find now is people will be coming from Heathrow with their cases and be cast on to the pavement at TCR and struggle to find a Taxi, what a great welcome to London. We asked for a Taxi Rank to be cut into the kerb on Charing Cross Road but was turned down by WCC and Camden said the rank in TCR was good enough all though that’s poorly positioned and pointing away with no sight line to the station. These council have not got a clue how we work and what we require for a rank to work. They are also the first ones to complain to us when drivers take things into there hands with pop up ranks because that’s where the rank should’ve been in the first place.
The other stations on the Elizabeth line will also suffer from lack of ranks Farringdon Station will have no rank on Farringdon Road where we know most people will look for one but Islington are going to give us a rank in Turnmill Street which isn’t ideal but it’s something but we’re still waiting that to be sited, so who knows when we will be able to work it.
Liverpool Street will have to reply on the one we already have although the exit is quite some way from the exit.
Woolwich is a bigger disappoint where we agreed a rank which was in a great position only to be let down by developers and TFL. The only rank we might have got in the right location is the rank for Bond St which will be by the exit in Brook St and Hanover Sq. We’re still trying to get better locations even now but feel we will end up let down by a mayor that don’t see us as part of London Transport family and left out of the mayors transport policy. I will keep you updated of any changes but don’t hold your breath.
Alan Mcgrady
LCDC Vice Chairman
LCDC Ranks & Highways
