Cardiff Central - Taxi Rank

[Envoy]

I see that Saunders Road - ie. the link between Cardiff Central station and the main shopping area, is to be closed for a time to enable work to progress on making it the main bus access point to the new transport interchange. The taxi rank will be moved whilst work takes place to the south side of the station.

May I suggest that the taxi rank stays on the south side of Cardiff Central. Currently, the taxis clutter up the main pedestrian route between the station and retailing areas. They often have their diesel engines left idling away producing pollution. You would think that Cardiff Council could come to some sort of deal with an electric car manufacturer to enable taxi operators to get a discount and thereby remove pollution. Ideally, a south side taxi rank should have charging points for electric taxis. Furthermore, it surely would be a lot easier and quicker for taxis to get to destinations from the south side and would also prevent them from hindering the flow of buses at the new interchange?

Road closures revealed as work continues on Cardiff Transport Interchange

Cardiff Council has announced a series of traffic measures in the city centre as work begins to create a southern entrance to the new Transport Interchange. The Interchange, which will feature the new bus station, is expected to be opened to the public by Transport for Wales (TfW) next year. The...

www.wales247.co.uk

Cllr Dan De’Ath, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport, said that once the latest construction work is finished, access to the train station taxi rank along Saunders Road will be possible.

“The rank is on private land not controlled or operated by the council,” he added, “but I have written to Lee Waters, the Welsh Government Minister responsible for Transport for Wales, stating it would be beneficial to Cardiff that once the works on Saunders Road are completed – and until such time that the future redevelopment of the train station is agreed – that taxis remain in the current location on Central Square. But that is a decision for Network Rail and TfW.”

 

[anthony263]

Dont get the taxi drivers in Cardiff started they've already been kicking up a storm about their taxi ranks being moved now.

Not that I'm complaining as some are a bloody nuisance

 

[WesternBiker]

I can see your logic, but the area around the south entrance of Cardiff Central needs some serious sorting. It’s a mess at the moment - visually and in terms of traffic organisation.

Are there plans to expand the entrance hall? It can become very overcrowded at times – a victim of its own success.

 

[Envoy]

I am appalled at what they did regarding the new entrance on the south side. I was expecting something much grander. I also note that those not familiar to the city descend from the platforms and are not sure which way to go for the main retailing area or the Bay. (For Bay, the nearest bus stop is on the south side). Some signage in the underpass would help. I presume that at some stage, a track for the metro link from the Bay to the Taff bridge will be built on the south side. The closeness of the BBC building leaves little room for station expansion on the north side without reducing the piazza.