Taxi Driver Online

Traders demand taxi rank U-turn

TRADERS have slammed a decision to remove parking bays from outside their shops to create a new taxi rank.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council introduced the rank in Market Place, Burslem, at the beginning of September to cope with an influx of new cabs, created when hackney carriage services in the city were deregulated in February.

But businesses in the town centre say the loss of the six parking spaces is damaging their trade, and that the taxi rank is not used.

They have organised an 800-signature petition calling on the council to reverse its decision and move the taxi rank.

Steve Davies, who runs The Beer Emporium in Market Place, said planners should have consulted the traders and residents properly before pushing the changes through.

He said: "Regardless of what the council has stated, the people of Burslem and the retailers were not consulted. I collected 13 signatures of traders in the Market Square area, who didn't even know about the taxi rank plans.

"I have also received a letter of support from the chair of the hackney carriage association, who want to get this decision reversed.

"The six parking spaces were used on a daily basis, so that is hundreds of pounds a week wasted. No taxis use the rank. The hackney carriages don't operate in Burslem and the private hire taxis are still parking on double yellow lines and blocking the street."

Mr Davies added: "We want a full consultation and a site visit so that the taxi rank can be removed to another location."

Burslem North ward member and portfolio holder for the environment, councillor Joy Garner said that the plans had been advertised properly and that residents and businesses were consulted.

She said: "Right opposite the shops in Market Place are double yellow lines where people can stop for several minutes to buy things, as per the law. There is also parking around the side of Market Place.

"We have got to have a taxi rank in Burslem somewhere because we have to regenerate Burslem."

Elected Mayor Mark Meredith said he was concerned and suggested talks to try to find an acceptable way forward.

He said: "If traders have got concerns about the lack of use of a taxi rank then I think that the licensing committee would want to look at that."

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Not exactly news but from the same local authority a few years back....

Lines painted around parked car


A teenager has been given a parking ticket after double-yellow lines were painted on either side of his car while it was parked in Stoke-on-Trent city centre.

Jack Williams left his Peugeot 205 in the city's College Road to catch a train into Birmingham last week.

When he returned, lines had been painted around the car and there was a £28 parking ticket on his window.

The 19-year-old charity worker, from Longton, said when he moved his car, there was a car-length gap between the sets of yellow lines.

Ticket rescinded

He was so shocked, he said he bought a disposable camera from a local newsagents to photograph what happened.

"I was staggered almost beyond belief that something like that could happen," he added.

"The double-yellow lines were definitely not there when I parked the car. It was so surreal that I have got to laugh about it now."

A Stoke-on-Trent City Council spokesman said Mr Williams' ticket had been rescinded and apologised for any inconvenience caused.

"It is normal practice for contractors to paint yellow lines around cars and then the gaps to be filled in later," he said.

He added that it was not normal for cars to then be ticketed.

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

And from the Stoke Council website....

Parking on the city's streets


As well as being able to park on car parks, you can park on the city's roads as long as you comply with all relevant restrictions and regulations. Information about parking bays and waiting restrictions is summarised below. We are responsible for enforcing all on-street parking, including yellow line restrictions.

Parking Bays

The areas you can park in will be clearly marked on the road as white parking bays. This style of bay is used for different types of parking restrictions:

Pay and Display parking is available on some of the city's streets. A machine at the location will tell you how long you can stay and how much you need to pay.

Residents parking schemes allow residents and businesses to use a permit to park in residents parking bays. Use the link from this page to find out more about residents parking schemes.

Disabled parking bays can be used by Blue Badge holders and are marked on the road with the word 'DISABLED'. A sign on the pavement or verge will tell you if there is a limit to the length of stay. If there is no sign, there is no limit on how long you can park there with a blue badge.

Limited Waiting Areas have signs nearby to tell you the time of the day and the actual days when parking is allowed.

Loading and Unloading bays are areas marked on the road with the words 'LOADING ONLY'. This will be accompanied by a sign with the prescribed hours of operation. Follow the link from this page for information.



Waiting Restrictions

Waiting restrictions apply to the road, pavement and verge. The area where these restrictions apply is normally indicated by yellow lines along the edge of the road and a sign nearby. The sign may be on posts or lighting columns on the verge or pavement.

Single yellow lines indicate that waiting is restricted for part of day.

Double yellow lines indicate that waiting is restricted 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for at least four consecutive months of the year.

Clearway signs indicate that no waiting or stopping is allowed in an area. This includes dropping off or picking up passengers or goods. In an Urban Clearway the restricted area is identified by a sign at the beginning and end of the clearway restriction. There are no other road markings relating to the restriction.

Bus stops are clearways and marked with a wide yellow line with a yellow box. There will also be a sign on the verge or pavement.

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

and something else to do with double yellow lines in stoke;

Some inconsiderate person has painted yellow lines outside my house. There are 2 yellow lines next to each other, they make the road look very untidy and I wish for them to removed.

All my nieghbours agree they should be removed as well. We mounted a petition and I wrote a long email but the council have not removed them. I shall not be voting for meredith and his paid for bunch of mates that call themselves a county council.


Some nice chap from the council emailed me to say that they had followed procedure and that there was nothing that could be done about the double yellow lines.

Doesn't help me when I want to unload the shopping once a week at 7pm at night and I can't because theres double yellow lines which are only there because of the school which closes at 3.30 and also at the weekend when I want to park my car outside my house but I can't because theres double yellow lines that are only there because of the school, which is closed all through the weekend and also throughout the whole 6 weeks of the summer holiday and I want to park my car outside my house and I can't because theres double yellow lines which are only there because of the school WHICH IS CLOSED ALL SUMMER. But never mind you can't have everything, Hey ho

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin