Dunedin's Octagon taxi rank is set for a trial move from the upper Octagon to the central carriageway from tonight, following concerns over violence and disorder.
The rank will move from outside the Municipal Chambers to the area used by cruise ship buses, an undercover area with CCTV coverage and clear signage.
The Dunedin City Council announced the move yesterday.
That follows concerns first raised in the Otago Daily Times in May, when Dunedin man Steve Parkinson witnessed what he said was a violent incident at the rank in the upper Octagon.
One issue was people at the back of the queue getting in taxis and causing disputes with those at the front.
In June, deputy mayor Chris Staynes met taxi companies and the idea to move the rank to the cruise ship stop was formulated.
Yesterday, acting transport group manager Richard Saunders said the new rank would operate from 7pm to 7am each night.
During the day time it would operate from its current location outside the Municipal Chambers and Civic Centre.
Mr Saunders said having the rank in the centre of the Octagon every night, rather than just Fridays and Saturdays, would provide consistency, so people would know where the rank was.
The covered walkway would provide shelter for people waiting for taxis, there would be suitable signage and the area was monitored by CCTV.
The Municipal Chambers area did not have good coverage by the cameras.
The proposal had been discussed with taxi companies, local businesses and police, and there was ``a lot of support for the trial'', Mr Saunders said.
Taxis planning to head north would have to first drive south to Moray Pl, as no right turn was allowed into the upper Octagon, an issue Mr Saunders said would be reviewed at the end of the trial.
Mr Saunders said at the end of the trial, staff would discuss the results with taxi companies, police and local businesses before deciding whether to make it permanent.
