New taxi rank locations revealed as Council prepares to implement new byelaws

Navan is to get a new taxi rank at the Fairgreen and Abbey Road, as well as several others around the town as the Council prepares to implement new taxi byelaws.

The new ranks at Abbey Road and the Fairgreen will be provided as part of the Navan 2030 works, but Navan Municipal District councillors recently adopted new taxi byelaws for the town which will see further new spaces in Navan.

These new byelaws replace the previous 2003 Navan Taxi Byelaws and provide scope for the establishment of additional taxi ranks planned as part of the Navan 2030 Scheme, including a new taxi rank on Abbey Road to the rear of the Navan Town shopping centre, and the taxi rank on Fairgreen.

The new byelaws provide for a 12 space rank at Kennedy Road adjacent to shopping centre, as well as five spaces at Market Square adjacent to the former hotel.

There will be two spaces at Blackcastle Shopping Centre and three adjacent to Aldi at Brews Hill.

There will also be three sets of ranks that will act as loading bays during the daytime and taxi ranks at night.

These include a two space rannk at Market Square adjacent to Bank of Ireland, two paces at Trimgate Street adjacent to Loughran’s pub and two at Watergate Street adjacent to the Valley Café.

Councillors were told at a meting of Navan Municipal District last week that a part of the Navan 2030 plans, the exisiting taxi rank adjacent to the Navan Shopping Centre on Kennedy Road is to be replaced by a new taxi rank on Abbey Road to the rear of the shopping centre, with two smaller ranks being provided on Kennedy Road adjacent to the planned bus interchange facility, which is currently anticipated to be completed in the latter part of next year.

Cllr Eddie Fennessy recalled that last December he raised the need for increased taxi rank spaces in Navan, particularly night spaces in the centre of town and a review process was undertaken by the council and completed last week.

"Additional spaces have been created under the new proposals which also gives provision for time plated spaces to operate at night. I also asked the council to bring forward their plan to install spaces at the Aldi Store on Brews Hill and I'm delighted this has also been agreed.

"I consulted with numerous taxi drivers throughout the process and made submissions based on those conversations. I commend local driver Noel Mulhall who suggested using loading bays at night as parking areas for emergency service vehicles. Council agreed to implement this measure and it will provide safe access during emergencies."

Cllr Francis Deane welcomed the increase in the number of taxis ranks, particularly at night.

Cllr Padraig Fitzsimons said that he cannot understand why there are no ranks in Trim and Kells, which leads to operators from those towns coming to Navan.