A TAXI rank that is causing congestion and tailbacks on a busy Peebles road is to be moved.

Frustrated motorists called for the additional bays outside the Park Hotel on Innerleithen Road to be scrapped.

Taxi firms met with representatives from Peebles Community Council and said they were in favour of moving the bays and extending the current rank on the Eastgate.

However, Tweeddale councillor Shona Haslam said businesses have voiced concerns about the ranks being extended past their shops.

Officers from Scottish Borders Council put a proposal to the community council to locate them at the bus stop in the middle of the High Street - outside the County Inn.

Community councillor George Ramsay told members that the rank would be 15 metres long and council officers would monitor a trial period.

Chairman Les Turnbull welcomed the proposal, adding: “That sounds to be me like an eminently sensible solution.

“Those two taxi ranks within East Station Car Park seem to be redundant and rarely, if ever, used. I would think the quid pro quo is to remove those as well and create two extra spaces in the car park for public use, which will help to ameliorate the positioning of two taxi ranks outside the County.”

Members asked if there was any feedback from the taxi companies regarding the proposal and were told council officers wanted to seek agreement from the community council first.

Mr Ramsay said: “They didn’t involve them at this time because they wanted to come with us, the taxi licensing officer will speak to the taxi companies if we happy to go ahead with it.”

The community council voted unanimously in favour of the bays on Innerleithen Road being re-located to the High Street.