TAXI

6 TAXI |22 SEPTEMBER 2015 www.ltda.co.uk | @TheLTDA
The Massett File
NOVIKOV RANK
SOLUTION?
RICHARD MASSETT LTDA Chairman, Chairman London Cab Ranks Committee
A new rank in Berkeley Street has caused chaos but a solution could be on the way
The collection of confusing signs
Novikov Solution soon?
The recently introduced rank
outside Novikov in Berkeley
Street has been undergoing
some changes to assist
enforcement. When the original
decision was agreed with the
authorities, problems arose
because the road space earmarked
for the rank was already occupied
by Pay to Park bays. So, with
kerbside space at a premium, it
was decided that the bays should
be put to dual use. Car parking
would be allowed during the
day, but it would convert to a
taxi rank during the evening
and overnight.
Pressure
Following great pressure from the
trade, the police commenced
Operation Neon. The purpose of
which is to disrupt the activities
of touts and other lawbreakers on
the streets, primarily in the
Mayfair area. Westminster
officials are part of the team
whose duties include issuing
PCNs to cars parked on ranks.
The problem was that without the
normal rank markings, and only a
small yellow traffic sign in place,
some motorists pleaded ignorance
and appealed parking fines on the
grounds that the bay was not
clearly marked and some of these
succeeded at adjudication. My
colleagues and I on the Ranks
Committee argued from the
outset that the rank should be
marked in the usual way
regardless of whether or not the
bays were shared use.
Westminster decided that there
was a need to clearly define how
the bay works. This led to the
installation of the signs and
markings in our photographs, but
unfortunately this has not
resolved the problem. I have told
Westminster that the presence of a
single yellow line through the
length of the newly marked bay
acts as an invitation to motorists
to park there during the evening.
The presence of a single yellow
line means to most drivers that
there is no restriction on parking
at night.
No excuses
I am pleased to say that the Ranks
Committee has discussed this
again with both TfL and
Westminster and a new proposal
has been agreed, which should
provide the best solution.
It is intended that the parking
bays outside Novikov should
change places with the Holiday
Inn hotel feeder rank on the other
side of the road. The Novikov
rank could then be extended to
accommodate more cabs and the
prescribed taxi rank markings and
signage applied. The new rank
would still serve as a feeder to the
Holiday Inn hotel during the day,
while it would be exclusive to
Novikov at night - leaving touts
and minicabs no excuse for
parking on it. n
Yellow line: a parking free for all
The two cab feed will convert to parking bays