Plan to boost hours for taxi rank approved

PLANS to extend the hours of a hackney carriage stand in South Shields to support the hospitality sector have been backed by councillors.

Earlier this month, South Tyneside Council’s Licensing and Regulatory Committee were given an update on the taxi stand on Keppel Street, adjacent to Mcdonald’s.

The stand was created in 2019, with space for nine hackney carriages between set times.

According to a report presented to councillors, the Covid-19 pandemic “never allowed the council to consider the rank in action”. As the “early evening hospitality sector is now in recovery mode,” the report adds, “it is considered that this rank should now be amended to run from [an] earlier time.”

Council officers proposed allowing the rank to open between 6pm-5am every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The council’s Licensing and Regulatory Committee backed the plans.