A “ROOT and branch” review is to be held on the future of a town centre taxi rank.

Colchester Council’s licensing committee chairman, Julie Young, called for an investigation into making the Head Street rank in Colchester more desirable.

The recommendation came as councillors agreed to consider creating new taxi ranks.

Creating a taxi rank in North Hill was largely considered to be a bad idea while Colchester’s Hackney Carriage Association suggested the Head Street rank be moved.

Mrs Young said: “To be honest I can’t say I’ve noticed the taxi rank in Head Street.

“When I drive down it’s always quite a difficult journey to navigate my way through the amount of buses pulling out, cars parked outside Debenhams, delivery lorries and there is also disabled parking.

“I really think the road needs a root and branch review as to what needs to go where.

“Head Street doesn’t meet our needs at the moment and certainly doesn’t meet the needs of taxis.

“There are a number of issues such as enforcement, police supervision around late night outlets and, as others have said, a convenient slot for people who going northwards.”

All six of Colchester’s taxi ranks were surveyed last October.

Charles Isbill, chairman of the Hackney Carriage Association, suggested the Head Street rank be moved from near Sir Isaac’s Walk to outside Debenhams.

“That way it’s at the top end of town, people can see the cars and it’s not been hidden by lorries and other vehicles,” he said.

Darius Laws said work needs to be done to address the situation of passengers swerving Head Street for the High Street because of a lack of taxis, causing waiting times to then increase.

He added: “I wonder if we need a gimmick or if there’s anything we, as an authority, could put in place to incentivise people to go there?

"I wouldn’t want to see the rank killed because it’s not working in its current form.”