Council to pay over £50k to move taxi rank as drunk revellers keep tripping over the high kerb

Staffordshire authorities will fork out over £50,000 to move a busy town centre taxi rank, because the curb is proving to be too high for drunk party goers.

According to Staffordshire Police the current rank presents “concerns” for tipsy clubbers, who trip over the six-inch curb whilst queuing up at the part-time rank on Hassell Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Staffordshire County Council will now shift the rank to the High Street located nearby, which will cost an estimated £52,000. This comes at a time when the council faces a £39 million shortfall in its finances.

Sergeant Jon Gritton said: "The current location of the taxi rank presents concerns for the safety of people leaving local clubs due to the height of the kerb. "Also on busy nights queues of taxis can reach as far as Barracks Road causing congestion on the dual-carriageway. "There has already been an incident of a vehicle travelling on the dual-carriageway which was in collision with a taxi queueing to get to the taxi rank. "We have been in consultation with the borough and county councils and the local taxi association about the plans and all parties agree there is a need to improve public safety."

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