GETTING a taxi in Wellington was very difficult, said the mayor, Bob Bowrah, at the December meeting of Wellington Town Council.

“When you pick up the phone to get a taxi they say they have to come over from Taunton,” he said.

The mayor was supported by Cllr Janet Lloyd who said that trying to get a taxi in Wellington was ‘an absolute nightmare’. It was ‘pot luck if you can get a taxi in the town at night’.

Councillors heard that a company was reviewing the current demand for hackney carriages and private hire in the whole district for Taunton Deane licensing department and wanted to know if the council felt there were enough licensed vehicles in the town and if sufficient use was made of the ranks.

A survey it had carried out showed the only activity was around 10pm and 11pm. The company made the point there were a lot of hackney carriages who claimed to be based in and serve Wellington but most mainly worked for private hire.

Cllr Marcus Barr, who was a taxi driver a few years ago, said there was never enough trade in Wellington. “It takes a lot to earn money in Wellington. You have to work in Taunton,” he said.

Cllr Andrew Govier said that the taxi ranks in Wellington – in High Street near the bus stop and in Fore Street near the Co-op – were not used in the evenings and not much in the day. “Probably we could lose one taxi rank,” he said.

It was agreed to inform the company that the taxi ranks were not greatly used and that it appeared that licensed holders were operating elsewhere.