A TAXI rank will be created outside Derby's bus station entrance following feedback from passengers frustrated they have to cross the Morledge to hail a cab.

The rank will be installed after the Conservative-led council reviewed plans to upgrade the Morledge.

Work on the £1.8m improvement scheme will start on Monday and see the area stretching from the Morledge up to Full Street revamped.

Council leader Harvey Jennings said when his party came into control in May, he wanted to know more about the planned work and immediately felt "common sense" changes needed to be made.

In particular he believed a planned installation of a new bus stop outside the bus station needed scrapping.

He said: "One bus stop was going to be located right outside the bus station, which seemed crazy, and we have turned that into a taxi rank. It will be a lay-by right outside the main entrance to the bus station."

And Mr Jennings has also ordered other changes to the Morledge scheme.

"When we came to power we quickly looked at the scheme to make sure we were happy with it and we weren't," he said.

"There was still six to eight bus stops included on the Morledge, which would have seen brand new bus shelters installed.

"There seemed to be an element of still having a temporary bus station when we had a permanent one and we were not happy at all with that. We have instructed that the bus stops are removed.

"It doesn't mean the design of the scheme has had to be changed, all we have done is changed where the new bus stops were going into blue badge parking. These are common-sense changes."

The walk across the Morledge to the existing taxi bays was one of the main concerns raised by passengers using the bus station and one predicted by the council's previous transport commission which scrutinised the station before its opening in March.

As well as the taxi rank, the commission also raised concerns about the lack of a shop in the building. A Spar shop has since opened.

But complaints have remained from coach passengers and companies that their designated bays are furthest away from the station entrance, requiring passengers to walk up to 200 yards to get to and from coaches with luggage.

Five operators have opted not to run services from the multi-million-pound Morledge terminal.

Nancy Pountain, chairwoman of Derby Access Group, welcomed the new taxi rank outside the station but said it would not help disabled coach passengers.

"People will still be struggling with bags from the coach park. There needed to be a drop-off point for the coach area."

Mr Jennings said he did not feel the complaints were valid.

He said staff were available to help passengers. He added: "If you go to a train station or airport you have to walk from the main desk or entrance to get the train or plane and this is no different."

And tour company Skills Holidays, which uses the bus station and sells holidays from there, said it was pleased with the building and would be staying put.

"Our holidaymakers seem to like it as we've had no adverse comments in their regular end-of-tour reports."

Meanwhile a petition has been signed by 2,000 customers of Derby's Market Hall

saying they wanted buses to drop them off nearer the building rather

than at the bus station.

Some bus companies changed their stops

when the bus station opened in March, terminating journeys at the

station, off the Morledge, rather than at stops in Corporation Street.

Steve

Lewin, a butcher in the Market Hall, heard so many complaints from his

customers saying that they would not be able to get in as often, if at

all, he arranged a survey in the hall.

More than a quarter of the 2,000 people who signed said they used to be dropped off outside the Council House.

Mr

Lewin said: "As a traditional market our customers and their needs

matter. What is of concern is the fact that the freedom of choice of

visiting us has been removed for some customers due to the walking

distance being doubled."

And he called on customers to make their views known to bus companies.

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