Taxi stand alternatives investigated

Gosford Council's traffic committee has deferred a decision to reposition a taxi stand in Memorial Ave to allow several alternative locations to be investigated.

The Ettalong Beach War Memorial Club and Peninsula Chamber of Commerce had asked that the taxi rank be relocated to Ocean View Rd as the present location, below the apartments of the Outrigger Resort Hotel, was causing "severe noise problems" to guests at the resort.

Four locations considered included the western side of Memorial Ave (south of Ocean View Rd), the southern side of Ocean View Rd (between Memorial Ave and Broken Bay Rd), the eastern side of Broken Bay Rd (south of Ocean View Rd) and the eastern side of Memorial Ave (adjacent to Post Office).

Two of the locations were unsuitable to the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, as the removal of timed parking would have an "adverse impact on the existing businesses that depend on casual parking adjacent to their shops".

One location was currently signposted as a bus zone and Busways advised that the entire zone was required for bus movements.

A council staff report stated that, "as such, it would not be practical for taxis to share this area".

The location adjacent to the Ettalong Beach Post Office would require a review of the parking needs for the area, in consultation with the Post Office manager.

The report stated that "each of the options will be further investigated prior to the next Traffic Committee meeting, in consultation with the various stakeholders".

Council agenda TR.06.061, September 5