TAXI-CAB STANDS

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22467, 30 July 1938, Page 7

TAXI-CAB STANDS

REMOVAL TO LATIMER SQUARE

DIVERGENT VIEWS EXPRESSED Opposition to the decision made by the Christchurch City Council last Monday night to remove the main feeder taxi-cab stand from Hereford street to Latimer square, was expressed to a representative of “The Press” yesterday. by Mr G. Fergus, secretary of Blue Star Taxis. At its meeting the council had considered that it would be in the interests of taxi drivers to work from the east instead of from the west of the Square, and had claimed that the taxi-cab companies strongly favoured the change. “The change-over will be a serious affair to us." said Mr Fergus, “more especially with race week coming on. I* a call is received from a racecourse, he explained, “nearly all of which are to the west of the city, it will be necessary for the taxi-cab to cross the flow of traffic' passing up and down Colombo street, once to get there, and once again to get back to the feeder stand in Latimer square. The arrangement will push up mileage, not reduce it and may add considerably to traffic congestion in the city. When it is remembered that both trams and buses travel in the opposite direction to the rest of the traffic, this will be true of the Square, too.” Mr Fergus concluded Mr R. Goldien, manager of Gold Band Taxis, on the other hand expressed his agreement with the proposed change. It was necessary under existing arrangements, Mr Goldien said, for taxis entering the Square to turn into the traffic stream at Hereford street, where they had to wait for the traffic signals. Under the arrangement proposed they would be able to follow the gyratory system round the Square and he did not think it would result in any increase in congestion.