THE green light for a taxi rank to be installed in Chipping Sodbury is due to be switched on within months.

Calls have been made for special marked bays on Broad Street for several years amid fears drunken revellers trying to get home will cause a fatal accident.

South Gloucestershire Council announced this week it was set to approve the rank and that it could be in operation by early autumn.

A spokesman said: "The council consulted the public over the proposed taxi rank scheme in Broad Street, Chipping Sodbury earlier in the year.

"Following feedback, the scheme was amended and is currently being advertised as part of the traffic order process.

"If no objections are received to this proposal then the taxi rank could become operational in the early autumn.

"The planned operational times for the rank is Friday and Saturday only, 9pm to 2am."

The taxi rank will be stationed outside the Beaufort Hunt pub and will have room for four cars. Taxi drivers will self regulate spaces at the rank but will be directed to park there and not on the other side of the road, outside two busy pubs.

Police in the town are behind the idea as they say it will give officers somewhere to direct pub-goers to queue for a taxi home.

Former sector Inspector Mark Hedgcock said last year that a taxi rank would reduce late-night trouble on Broad Street Town councillor Matthew Allen said: "The ranks could be a solution to the noise disturbance created late at night around the town's centre.

"It think it could benefit both people wanting to get home from the pub and residents living on the high street."