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Leicester to pilot new taxi rank and night-time pick-up bays near Jubilee Square
- Perry Richardson
- 3 minutes ago
- 2 min read
New arrangements for taxi ranks and passenger pick-up and drop-off bays will be introduced on an experimental basis in Leicester city centre from early February, as the council moves to address road safety concerns and rising late-night demand.
Leicester City Council confirmed that the pilot will focus on St Nicholas Place and Highcross Street, close to Jubilee Square, an area that experiences high pedestrian and vehicle activity during evening and night-time hours.
Under the plans, a new 24-hour taxi rank restricted to Hackney carriages will be created on St Nicholas Place, immediately adjacent to Jubilee Square. The authority said the location was chosen to provide clearer and safer access for passengers while reducing informal stopping in the area.
The existing taxi rank on Highcross Street will be re-designated as a 24-hour passenger pick-up and drop-off bay, with a maximum waiting time of 10 minutes. This bay will be available to both the general public and private hire drivers, widening access beyond the licensed Hackney carriage trade.
Experimental traffic order will reshape taxi access and stopping rules in the city centre from 4 February
Additional changes will see loading bays on Highcross Street and St Nicholas Place converted overnight into pick-up and drop-off bays between 6pm and 7.30am. The council said this measure is intended to respond to peak evening demand without reducing daytime servicing capacity for businesses.
An existing lay-by on Vaughan Way, adjacent to Mosh nightclub, will also be amended to operate as an overnight pick-up and drop-off bay, targeting a known late-night hotspot where informal stopping has previously caused congestion and safety issues.
To support enforcement, a red route clearway will be introduced on part of St Nicholas Place between St Nicholas Circle and Highcross Street. Vehicles will be prohibited from stopping at any time outside authorised bays, with compliance enforced through camera technology.
The measures will come into force on Wednesday 4 February 2026 under an experimental traffic order. The trial will run until July 2027, with the first six months designated as a formal objection period during which the council can amend or withdraw the scheme based on feedback and observed impacts.
Martin Fletcher, Leicester City Council director of highways, said: “This is a very busy part of the city centre at night and it’s important that we review the existing arrangements for taxis and private pick-ups and drop-offs to help address road safety concerns raised by police.
“The trial scheme has been designed to recognise the demands on hackney carriage and private hire drivers on busy nights and to help people get home safely after a night out.”
