Ipswich taxi rank signs in Duke Street to be removed

A taxi rank was trialled for several months in the Duke Street car park on Ipswich Waterfront before ending in June last year due to a lack of custom.

These signs were put in place for a marshalled taxi rank, which started in December 2022, running on Friday and Saturday nights to allow for people visiting late-night venues to get home easier.

The initial trial period went from December 2022 to March 2023, with the taxi rank re-trialled again in May before coming to an end in June last year, to get good comparable figures for usage during both the colder winter months and the milder spring and summer months.

Ipswich Waterfront (Image: Ipswich Borough Council)

Signs were put up on bollards where people were able to get taxis from.

However, eight months after the trial period ended, the signs are still displaying a marshalled taxi rank for the area, despite this no longer being an area for taxis.

The Safer Streets 4 project has seen dedicated safety and taxi marshals operate taxi ranks at both Dogs Head Street, for the past 10 years, and Lloyds Avenue.

The Taxi Marshal Scheme is delivered by Ipswich Central, Ipswich Borough Council and Suffolk Constabulary.

Ipswich Borough Council said that the signage indicating a taxi rank and marshals "should have been removed when the trial of the temporary taxi rank ended".

A spokesman for the council also said that "a member of our licensing team is investigating why these signs were not removed, as it is important that residents and visitors are no longer led to expect taxis would be available from this location".

The sign placed on one of the bollards indicating a taxi rank (Image: Tom Cann)