People living close to Brighton Station have asked the council to tackle the “late-night disturbance” that they say they are suffering.
Residents of Surrey Street said that their road was being treated as an “unofficial taxi rank” and they sent a deputation to Brighton and Hove City Council this afternoon (Monday 13 March).
Speaking on behalf of her neighbours, Charlotte Glasson told the council’s Neighbourhoods, Communities and Equalities Committee meeting at the Friends’ Meeting House: “Since the ‘Station Gateway’ development, our street has become an unofficial taxi rank as taxis queue to pick up passengers off the trains.
“The neighbourhood has really suffered from the taxi drivers’ anti-social behaviour, especially at rush hour and throughout the evening through to 2.30am when the last train comes back from London.
“Residents can’t sleep due to engines left running, radios blaring out of their cabs, swearing, hooting of horns as traffic is unable to pass.
“When asked to move on by residents, they are often threatening, even on one occasion shouting racial remarks to a young mother, and intimidatory, leaving us feeling unsafe.
“Residents have also stepped in to break up fights late at night between taxi drivers as they fight over spaces.
“There a quite a few children living in the street. Other residents have been signed off work due to depression and stress due to lack of sleep etc.
“We would like to see greater policing of the area.
“We hope a solution can be found as we have been suffering for three years and it seems to be getting worse.”
The committee noted the deputation. A similar pleas is due to be made to the council’s Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee meeting at Hove Town Hall tomorrow (Tuesday 14 March).
The £1.5 million Brighton Station Gateway scheme was intended to improve the area around Brighton Station “to create a more fitting welcome to the city for people arriving by rail”.
The scheme, which included widening the pavement in Surrey Street, was approved by councillors in 2013 and completed in July 2015.
The chaos was predicted. The taxis have to be CLOSE to the station for passengers to get to them with luggage, etc.in all weathers. Should NEVER had taken away the original taxi ranking system. It was FINE.