Taxi ranks to be tidied up

In a bid to reduce the number of people catching taxis outside of designated taxi ranks, police will be issuing infringements to taxis who park illegally and cars that park in taxi pick-up zones.

The City of Perth and the Department of Transport have developed and installed new signs for taxi ranks across the City, which make ranks easily identifiable from the pavement and the road.

Key ranks, such as William Street will also soon include push buttons to light a sign to signal drivers that a passenger is waiting, a map of the area and location name for the rank.

Perth police station operation commander Sergeant Nicole Winstone said the crackdown was aimed at improving the safety of taxi users and other drivers.

‘We want people to come to taxi ranks because they are secure and signed, there are emergency numbers and everything that happens is captured on camera,’ Sgt Winstone said.

‘If people aren’t catching taxis from ranks then we aren’t able to regulate them.’

Taxi assistants also help people catch taxis from designated ranks on Friday and Saturday from 6pm to 8am.

Sgt Winstone said police were keen to increase the size of ranks in the City.

‘We are pushing for ranks in more popular areas like outside clubs and pubs,’ she said.