Lack of taxi rank in Kells Backlands plan highlighted

A considerable number of submissions have been made on the €125 million Kells Backlands development, including a complaint that it made no provision for a taxi rank or public transport generally. The second planning application from Kells Development Company Ltd received strong endorsement from Kells and District Chamber of Commerce members at a recent information meeting in the local Headfort Arms Hotel while town and area councillors have also expressed their support for the major venture, which will, when built, transform the town. The deadline for submissions to Meath County Council"s planning department on the plan closed last week. Navan taxi firm, Town Radios Taxis, complained that the development"s failure to make any public transport provision was 'unacceptable'. The objection came as a surprise to local councillors, since neither Kells taxi nor hackney providers had made any recent case for a rank. The firm criticised the current provision of public transport in the town, while also noting the provision of the Flexibus service at Headfort Grove, where 'roadworks have caused severe difficulties'. Meath County Council had adopted a motion in February 2007 seeking the provision of taxi ranks in Kells, Trim, Ashbourne and Dunboyne, Town Radio Taxis said, while the Commission for Taxi Regulation envisaged the provision of such ranks at new hospitals and shopping centres 'as a matter of course'. The council"s own infrastructural policy section of last year"s Meath County Development Plan also encouraged the provision of taxi ranks, making its absence in the Kells Backlands plan 'incomprehensible'. Town Radio Taxis said it therefore objected to the Backlands development because of the developers" failure to address the public transport requirement and it called on planners to insist on the provision of a 20-space taxi rank in the Backlands plan. The objection could well curtail the operation of Navan taxis in Kells if such a rank was provided, according to Kells town councillor Tommy Grimes this week. He said he was unaware of any recent lobbying by local service providers, which were the likeliest party to raise that matter. Kells Town Hall has confirmed there is no current designated taxi rank in Kells.