NEW taxis have been introduced throughout York after complaints that there were not enough vehicles to cope with the demand from tourists and the city's residents.
Taxi firms have invested hundreds of thousands of pounds to boost the number of hackney carriages in the city after
York Council agreed to grant 15 new licences to meet the demand.
The new vehicles mean that the number of taxis operating in York
has increased from 158 to 173, and the number of wheelchair-accessible vehicles has also risen to 35.
York Council's head of licensing, Dick Haswell, said: "Good late night transport is vital to the night time economy. Taxis are often the only option when the buses and trains stop.
"With more taxis serving the ranks, visitors to the city centre will be able to get home or back to their hotels more quickly, reducing the potential for noise and drink-related incidents in and around the city centre ranks.
"This is a tremendous commitment by the plate holders who have purchased or leased these new vehicles at a time of economical downturn."
York's tourism industry attracts more than four million visitors every year, putting a huge demand on taxis when coupled with the city's own 191,000-strong population.
The decision to create the new licences has led to 15 new purpose-built, wheelchair-accessible vehicles being purchased by the new plate holders – equating to a £400,000 investment in new taxis.
The full article contains 251 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
