Thousands of rugby fans are expected to arrive in the Capital this weekend to watch hosts Scotland take on England in a sold-out Calcutta Cup championship. As part of the preparations special arrangements have been made for Waverley Station, to ease problems created by the installation of new security barriers at the entrance to the station. Taxi drivers have threatened to boycott the station due to the restrictive nature of the new anti-terror security barriers.
The Council is creating two temporary taxi ranks, one on Market Street with 12 spaces and a further eight-space rank at the Calton Road entrance to the Station in addition to the existing rank on Waverley Bridge.
Council officers will also put up directional signage in the streets surrounding the station, advising pedestrians and drivers on where each of the taxi ranks and drop-off points are. Inside the Station itself, taxi marshals will be on hand to help manage queues and direct passengers.
"With the Council installing extra ranks and signage, this should make it much easier for people to pick up a taxi and find their way around once they arrive into Waverley," said Councillor Lesley Hinds, Transport Convener.
"That said, our officers will obviously be keeping a close eye on things throughout the weekend and will take appropriate action if it turns out that these measures aren't sufficient to manage demand."
The Council is currently finalising plans to make the area around Waverley Station more pedestrian-friendly and to ensure adequate taxi provision is maintained following the introduction of new controlled access measures at the Station.
Waverley Station changes
New work planned to start this Spring includes:
- new raised tables on Waverley Bridge, the junction of Waverley Bridge & Market Street and at the Station entrance on Market Street
- New Zebra crossing on Market street opposite Lothian Buses office
- 12 bay taxi rank on Market Street
- 8 bay taxi rank on Calton Road (NB exact number of bays TBC)
- 5 bay taxi rank on east side of Waverley Bridge
- 9 taxi spaces on west side of Waverley Bridge (to be operational 8pm to 9am)
- Additional loading/unloading facilities on Market Street
- Reducing the number of buses on Waverley Bridge, without reducing the service
- Widening the footways and reducing street clutter on Waverley Bridge and Market Street
- Resurfacing the carriageways on Waverley Bridge and Market Street