EDINBURGH

Warring taxi firms could be for the history books after Edinburgh Airport announced a £6m project for a new taxi rank and drop-off area.

The investment and construction is part of a wider £20m transport improvement scheme at the airport which includes a new road from Gogar to ease congestion on Eastfield Road.

It comes after historic frustrations from taxi firms and private hire companies about touting from rogue firms in the current drop-off area at the airport, sparking a move from the airport in November last year to tell drivers to stay in their cars to stop arguments breaking out.

The new East Terminus will have a horseshoe design where vehicles dropping off customers must rejoin the back of a taxi rank away from the terminal exit, reducing the opportunity for touting to take place.

Cameras had been installed in the drop-off points to track taxis or private hires contravening bylaws by picking up passengers in the wrong area in June this year, and could be moved to the new terminus if problems persist.

The £6m new terminus should be completed by May next year and will also see a new passenger bridge, a new passenger with reduced mobility waiting area for those who may need special assistance, and a self-service kiosk for booking private taxis.

The current rank will move from the ground floor of the multi-storey car park to the east side of the airport, adjacent to the tram stop.

Taxis will be able to access the facility by using the road over the old runway, reducing congestion on Eastfield Road at peak times.

Gordon Dewar, chief executive of Edinburgh Airport pledged that the new terminus would make it easier and for people to find licensed taxis when leaving the airport.

He said: “As an airport, we provide quick and easy travel to destinations all over the world – that trip starts and ends here, so making it easier for people to get to and from the airport is important to us.

“As well as making it easier for licensed taxis to drop off and pick up passengers, this multi-million pound project will also see the construction of a new access road, helping to ease the congestion we currently see on Eastfield Road at peak times.

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