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The taxi drivers parked on Bridge Street this afternoon. Photo by Dermot Crean
TAXI drivers in town continued their opposition of the new rank by Boots/Tesco at Abbeycourt, by moving cars into closed-off Bridge Street and staging another slow drive through town today.
At 8am this morning, a number of care entered the closed off area between Bridge Street and The Mall. While it’s not clear how long they intend on staying there, they are adamant that they will continue with protests until agreement can be reached on a new rank in the town.
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Also this afternoon, a number of taxis stages a slow-drive protest through the town and out to Kerry County Council Building at Rathass.
It follows on from a 12 hour strike on Saturday night where drivers withdrew their services.
Anthony Dineen of Tralee Taxi Drivers Association, said drivers are frustrated at the current situation and are left with no choice but to protest.
“We’re hoping to create awareness with the public on the situation and to exert pressure on the County Manager to meet with us, to address our concerns and engage in constructive, progressive talks,” said Mr Dineen, who said five meetings had already taken place with engineers and Michael Scannell, the Town Municipal Manager, but these reached a stalemate.
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“The feedback we’re getting today is very positive from the public who suggested where we are here on Bridge Street would make an ideal rank. Maybe it’s not usable now from a safety point of view, but it would be when the work is finished on the Mall,” said Mr Dineen.
Taxis on a slow drive protest through town on Thursday afternoon. Photo by Dermot Crean
He said a rank in Denny Street would also be acceptable for drivers, but said the current rank is “totally unacceptable, dangerous and inaccessible”. They want a seven day a week, 24 hour rank, within the town centre, within view of the general public.
When we contacted Kerry County Council for a comment on the current situation, we were issued the following statement.
“Prior to and throughout the town centre works, Kerry County Council has engaged very proactively with taxi drivers in relation to the location of taxi ranks. There have been numerous meetings, including a meeting as late as last week, with the Municipal District Manager and senior engineers involved in managing the project.
The Council has repeatedly ruled out the provision of a taxi rank on Denny Street or The Mall, and that remains the position, however, as has been indicated previously, there will be a night-time rank on The Mall once the works are completed in November. (8pm to 6am)
The Council remains in discussion around a number of proposals for the location of additional temporary ranks and as these are the subject of ongoing discussion, it would be inappropriate to discuss them through the media.
Meanwhile, Kerry County Council has committed to:
• improve signage and provide permanent directional signage to the taxi ranks from the Mall area
• deal with other infrastructural requirements at Tesco/Boots Rank e.g. kerb heights/lighting/traffic management
• promotion of where the new taxi ranks are located
The Council will continue to engage with taxi representatives as the town centre works continue.”
Here is some public feedback from the public without Mr Dineen speaking for us – Tralee Taxi Drivers Association is only a nonsense and nuisance at this point.
Here ye go again with the bully boy tactics Tralee people back the council all the way as Tralee Town Center is not a Taxi Rank and is in progress to be handed back to the people of Tralee as it was abused for years by arrogant Taxi Drivers .