Recent violence at Dunedin’s Octagon taxi rank has prompted the DCC to get involved in order to find a solution to the issue.
The taxi rank, which is located outside ‘10 Bar’, regularly has long lines until the early hours of the morning and runs parallel to the bar’s line for entry.
It has become a growing concern recently due to the amount of incidents of fighting and scuffling that has broken out between those waiting for a taxi, as well as numerous assaults, which has provoked concern and outrage from the wider Dunedin community.
Deputy Mayor Chris Staynes has been tasked with seeking and implementing changes to address the growing issues facing those involved. Councillor Staynes has organised a meeting with Dunedin’s taxi companies in order to search for reasonable solutions, although it is unclear when the meeting will take place.
“This isn’t an escalating problem”, Staynes reassured Critic, “but any regular violence will, of course, raise our concerns.”
All of these potential solutions were acknowledged by Staynes with none being dismissed outright.