An angry trader believes changes to the taxi rank system outside Brentwood station could spell doom for neighbouring shops and businesses.

Carol French, who owns Callico's hair and beauty salon in Warley Hill, collected a seven page petition in a bid to halt the plans because they will take away some of the two hour parking spaces available to shoppers.

But she was disappointed to hear that the council had agreed to an 18 month trial run of the proposed scheme where a double taxi rank would be formed and the parking spaces in The Parade would be scraped. It is hoped this will combat problems resulting from the queue of taxis backing up into Kings Road.

Salon owner Mrs French warned: "This proposal is just another nail in the coffin for the traders of Warley Hill - especially my immediate neighbours and me. This could effectively put me out of business.

"My customers already find it very hard finding somewhere to park and this will make things even more difficult. If they have to go elsewhere and I cannot pay my rent then we will have to close."

Her business is part of a parade that includes a fish shop, emporium, barbers and insurance office. They all front on to a bus bay.

She said her customers - who include elderly and disabled people - relied on parking spaces in The Parade because of their close proximity and two hour limit that allowed enough time for their appointments.

Mrs French believes there is already adequate provision for taxis at the station.

She said: "The Brentwood station area is a very important part of the town and receives hundreds of commuters every day bringing income into Brentwood, but it is very neglected. There is no CCTV, no police presence, no Christmas decorations and no summer flower decorations."

Treble Twenty Cars backed the taxi rank proposals.

Director Steve Smith said: "There are 140 hackney carriages operating in Brentwood. They have to go somewhere and the natural place is the taxi rank at Brentwood Station."

Cllr Barry Aspinell, whose casting vote pushed the proposals through at the Environment and Technical Services meeting at Brentwood Town Hall, said: "The only way forward here is to try and experiment different solutions to the problem."

Published Thursday, June 5, 2003

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