Kingston, Richmond, Which Rank Will Be next?

Richmond Council has done a U-turn on its electorate and decided to pave the station forecourt and move the taxi rank away in favour of TfL's buses. 
It is said that Peter Hendy, is envious of London's Taxi being voted the best Taxi service in the world and now wants his buses to be the number one envy of the world, knocking the London taxi trade into second place.

Article from "Your Local Guardian.co.uk"

Questions have been raised over redevelopment plans at Richmond station.

Taxi drivers operating outside the station believe Transport for London (TfL) has been delaying the project to try to force a reversion to original scrapped plans for the site, that would have meant paving over the station forecourt.

Driver Tony Wilcox said: “Public consultation went ahead and I believe the public voted unanimously to leave the front of the station as it was, but we now understand that TfL bus division has turned around and said we’re not having this we want to overturn the public consultation and go back to the original plans.

“TfL is playing bully boy and we are not going to have it.”

TfL said it was still in the process of reviewing revised proposals.

A spokesman said: “Our primary concern is for the safety of commuters and pedestrians in that area and we did have some concerns about the revised plan.

“We have received a new proposal from the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. We will be discussing this with the council and will respond to them as soon as possible.”

Initial plans to pedestrianise Richmond station forecourt were put forward in 2007 but following two public consultations a redesigned was called for.

Issues concerning residents included worries moving the taxi rank would mean passengers would have to cross the road late at night which could be unsafe.

Richmond Council said delays were down to TfL’s concerns over revised proposals.

A council spokesman said: “London Buses/TfL have raised concerns about the council’s revised proposal stating that the scheme is disadvantageous to bus passengers, causes operational difficulties and presents safety risks, particularly location of pedestrian crossing away from public desire line and sitting of bus stops too close to the junction.

“We are currently considering London Buses response and will be discussing the matter further with TfL.”

Editorial comment:

Our advice is, the drivers who work this rank should take a leaf out of the "No-To-Bike-Parking-Tax" group and demonstrate on regular occasions. Try twice a week, shuffling the days around so they can't predict which days you will hit and block the Bus routs using Richmond town centre. Keep that up until TfL rethink this issue. Hendy will not like his buses becoming unreliable.   

Richmond station is one of the busiest suburban ranks in Greater London and the second major rank in this area to be taken away from the Licensed Taxi Trade. First we saw Kingston Station rank given over to Private hire and now Richmond forecourt rank is to disappear completely.


The is problem is not just restricted to Suburban sectors as busy, well used Taxi ranks in Central London have been disappearing for many years. To take away our ranks makes a complete mockery of the Mayors Air Quality Strategy as more and more Taxis are forced to orbit around, adding to London's pollution.


What have the UTG press had to say about this situation in recent editions of their papers.... Oh sorry I forgot, they have now become no more than a propaganda news sheet for the sole use of John Mason. You only have to look at the recent edition of the Badge.