Nottingham's black cab drivers are celebrating the return of a taxi rank to the main entrance of the city's railway station, calling the 18-month trial a "big achievement."

After a decade of relocations, taxis returned to Carrington Street on Monday, February 3, in a move praised by drivers as the "best option" for both themselves and passengers.

The station's 2014 refurbishment, which transformed the former pick-up and drop-off point into a pedestrianised entrance with cafes and marble flooring, triggered the taxi rank's initial move to Station Street. Subsequent pedestrianisation of Station Street in 2016 forced another relocation to Trent Street, about 100 meters from the station's main entrance.

Drivers had long complained about the lack of visibility and accessibility on Trent Street, exacerbated by recent closures of the station's side exit and footbridge.

Nadeem Amir, of the Nottingham Hackney Carriage Owners and Drivers Association, expressed his gratitude to the city council, particularly its leader, Neghat Khan, for their cooperation.

"There was no other solution," he said of the Carrington Street trial. "On short notice, the council allocated this rank for us. Station Street is very good but it would have cost the council a lot of money. This is the cheapest option for us... but the new leader has helped us ever so much to get this rank within 8 to 12 weeks."

He added, "Now we're in the limelight where people can see us – where people were looking for us before. Every other city, you're in front of the station and that's where we are now – back to our roots."

While some drivers previously raised safety concerns about the new location, calling it a "blank spot," Mr. Amir believes the zebra crossing provides adequate safety. He emphasised the improved convenience for passengers, particularly the elderly and those with luggage.

"Passengers can see the cars and come to us quite easily – elderly ladies, mothers and children would otherwise have to walk for half a mile to find us," he explained. "When we were picking up passengers on Trent Street, they were gutted that we were in a deserted area when we should have been at the front."

He recounted how elderly residents expressed shock at the previous location and preferred the taxis in the main foyer.

Taxi driver Amir Majeed highlighted the historical significance of the Carrington Street rank. "It's easily accessible for wheelchairs and it's the most traditional taxi rank in Nottingham," he said. "If you look at photographs from 50 years ago, you'll see the taxi rank was here. People are used to this rank and it's a tradition of the city."

The city council aims to establish a "permanent safe option" with the trial, which includes eight wheelchair-accessible spaces on Carrington Street and an eight-space "feeder" rank on nearby Arkwright Street. They are encouraging public feedback on the proposals, which would see a reduction in the existing Trent Street rank.

Mohammed Khali, a taxi driver with over 20 years of experience, shared his perspective. "When we were on Trent Street, we were hidden from public view. People used to come out of the main entrance with their luggage and there were no taxis. The customers were suffering and people used to walk around in the rain all the way to Trent Street," he said.

"I think we should now be thankful to the council that we've been allocated here. Hopefully, we will serve the public better."

Council Leader Neghat Khan stated: "Following feedback from disabled residents and residents with young children, we are trialling a new taxi rank close to the front of the station, to improve accessibility.

"I encourage residents, visitors, and transport users to share their feedback so we can assess the impact of these changes and make informed decisions for the future."

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