CABBIES will be working at York Racecourse this week as the first meeting of the year gets underway after crunch talks between private hire bosses and race chiefs.
The Press revealed last month how nine member companies of York Private Hire Association had unanimously agreed in favour of a boycott.
The companies threatened to boycott race meetings at York Racecourse until a "suitable" set-down and pick-up point for them was introduced there.
Last year, after a meeting with York Private Hire Association (YPHA) and City of York Council, York Racecourse introduced a dedicated set-down and pick-up point on Bishopthorpe Road for private hire vehicle drivers to use on race days.
Barry Hamer, chairman of YPHA, who agreed to the move, said last month that the turning space to pick up and drop people off on Bishopthorpe Road proved to be inadequate.
However, the drivers are now set to operate a normal service to and from York Racecourse for this week's May Festival race meeting which starts on Wednesday, after a meeting last week between YPHA, York Racecourse and City of York Council.
James Brennan, marketing manager at York Racecourse, said it was a "constructive meeting" that looked at a number of different options, one of which would be taken forward.
Mr Brennan said: "We need to be mindful that the traffic plan doesn't just operate for the private hire association - it operates for the city, for residents, for people coming to the races in private cars and in Hackney carriages. There needs to be a level of balance between those groups."
He said the racecourse could not say at the moment whether a new set-down and pick-up point would be created for private hire vehicles.
He said there were questions to ask, for example, about networks, and whether the options were physically possible.
In a statement, YPHA, which had four representatives at the meeting last week, said the meeting was "lively and constructive".
City of York Council said in a statement: "During the meeting a number of options, both on and off the racecourse site, were explored and discussed. Each of these options require more detailed investigation to find a long-term solution that will be agreeable to all parties. York Private Hire Association has confirmed that normal service will operate for forthcoming race meetings."
Mr Brennan confirmed that, during this week's race meetings, the existing set-down and pick-up point for private hire vehicles would be in operation, and that it would be signed.
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