TOWN pensioners are driving forward a campaign for more taxi ranks in the town centre.

The Droitwich Spa Forum for Older People says many pensioners use hire cars but the town is not geared up for their custom.

Pick-ups

Forum transport spokeswoman Sheila Price led a survey of pick-up places and found the town lacking near key facilities such as the health centre, post office, library, Kwik Save and train station.

She told the Advertiser: "A great number of older people use taxis as their main form of transport due to the unavailability of public transport and because they can use local authority travel tokens."

The Forum's survey revealed that the easiest place to hop in a cab is at Safeway but found ranks in High Street, outside St Andrew's Carpet Shop and Priory Lane are hardly used and need re-painting.

Sheila said the survey also revealed that the public often park on ranks, bus stop places and disabled spaces.

She wrote to Wychavon Highways Partnership boss Jeff Cox asking him to look at the problem and consider placing a rank outside the health centre, in Omberlsey Street East.

Wychavon's environmental health officer Graham Fimms said: "We are happy to receive any suggestions to improve the taxi ranks but making changes isn't straight forward.

"By law we have to get permission from the county council, as the high way authority, or from the landowner."

He explained that consultations with the police, town council, taxi firms and residents must also be made.

"The highway authority doesn't usually agree to ranks being placed where there are parking restrictions," Mr Fimms added.

Desperate

NY Taxis/Executive boss Paul Williams said: "A rank outside the health centre is desperately needed and the town's station must be the only one in the country without a rank."

The firm face a £1,000 fine from the British Transport Police if it is caught parking at the station, Mr Williams pointed out.