Taxi Driver Online

Taxi drivers told to stick to ranks



Taxi drivers have been warned they face action if they are seen waiting in loading bays on Middlegate, Newark.


Newark and Sherwood District Council says the loading bays are not an alternative to taxi ranks, and that some drivers are using them to wait for a space and are driving off, if seen by a traffic warden, before a ticket can be issued.

They have been warned that in future any taxi waiting in a loading bay seen either by a council officer, a parking enforcement officer or via security cameras will be reported for prosecution under bylaws for failing to go to a rank.

Last week the Advertiser reported that more than 40 letters had been sent to the council asking for more to be done to help taxi drivers because of a shortage of ranks.

Mr Peter Lewis, of A-C Taxis, said the council was forcing drivers to go round and round the block if there was not space.

He said that much of the time the loading bays were unused.

He said taxis should be allowed to use them and drivers would be happy to move on if they were needed.

He said there were not enough spaces on the Middlegate rank and they would like it extended for 18 vehicles.

He said the council provided another rank on Kirkgate but there were no facilities nearby for drivers and it was not well used by the public.

He said they would be happy for that rank to be removed and instead reserved for use by disabled drivers.

Mr Simon Glenn, of A-B Taxis, thought the council had caused the problem by continuing to issue hackney carriage licences but not finding enough space for them on the ranks.

The council’s head of legal and democratic services, Mrs Karen White, said the council had received complaints from traders, particularly over the past six to 12 months, about taxi drivers parking in loading bays, which had caused them difficulties as delivery vehicles could not park close to their premises.

She said: “As a taxi licensing authority we have a responsibility to resolve the issue by informing the taxi drivers of the complaints and of the fact that they are not lawfully entitled to park in loading bays.”

Mrs White said the council appreciated that an increase in the number of hackney carriages had an impact on the number of rank spaces but taxis parking in loading spaces had a knock-on effect for traders.

She said the council would look into the number and location of ranks.

Too many taxis not enough rank spaces

CC

Hacks looking to expand the "plying" limits

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

How irresponsible of an LA to make such a statement, what are drivers to use.....Glue perhaps?

What happens if a passenger wants a taxi and the driver is stuck to a rank?

These people are truly unbelievable!!!

CC

Lets just hope the poster with the curtains in his car isn't at the front of the rank or nobody's going anywhere.

He's PH so apparently it wouldn't matter

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

That explains why he's got curtains then.