Agreement reached on future of Torquay harbourside taxi rank

A temporary agreement has been reached on the future of the taxi rank on Vaughan Road in Torquay following discussions between council officers, local businesses, taxi drivers and community groups.

The arrangement will act as a short-term solution while wider regeneration plans for the harbourside and town centre continue.

Torbay Council said the current rank was “not ideal for all stakeholders” but described the plan as a workable interim measure that could be implemented quickly while restoring some green space at Cary Green.

Work will take place between Monday 9 March and Friday 13 March and will be carried out by council company SWISCo.

During this phase, most of the existing tarmac will be removed and almost five metres of green space reinstated, with landscaping and planting to follow.

Under the plans, a 1.8-metre accessible footpath will be retained, while around 2.8 metres of land currently covered by tarmac will be returned to grass with new edging.

A low hedge will also be planted to soften the appearance of the taxi rank and footpath, and a further 1.5 metres of hard standing will be removed and replaced with green space.

The corner of Cary Green and Palk Street will be levelled and boulders installed to prevent vehicles encroaching onto the grass.

A fingerpost sign will also be moved to ensure the footpath remains fully accessible. The council said no vehicles would be placed on Cary Green at any stage.

The authority said it remains committed to removing the Vaughan Road taxi rank entirely as part of the restoration of the Pavilion, which is currently estimated to take around three years. The rank could be removed sooner if funding becomes available for taxi rank and public realm improvements on Victoria Parade.

Taxi passengers will be able to use nearby ranks on Fleet Street and Victoria Parade while the work is carried out.

The Vaughan Road rank is expected to reopen on the evening of Friday 13 March.

Council officers said they would continue working with the Hackney Carriage trade to ensure future taxi arrangements meet operational needs while supporting plans to regenerate the harbourside.

The council also acknowledged the involvement of several local partners in discussions, including Rodney Horder of the Torquay Neighbourhood Planning Forum, Julie Brandon for her work with community groups including the Save Torquay Pavilion Group and Friends of Cary Green, and Anthony Jones, founder and chair of Torquay Independent Business Owners.