Taxi Driver Online

Nottingham Evening Post

October 10, 2007 Wednesday

Keep cars out of our taxi ranks

Cabbies say not enough is being done to stop people parking in their taxi ranks.

Hackney Carriage drivers have a designated area in Chilwell Road, Beeston, opposite the Wilkinson store.

But they face a battle to park there - and claim it is leading to lost fares.

Paul Wren, who works for Beeston Hackney Carriage firm Cable Cars, said action was needed to keep people out of the rank.

He said: "The police don't seem to do anything about it. There is no help for taxis.

"There are private hire cars and shoppers who illegally park.

"If we say anything to them, some give us abuse. It has stopped us from doing our job. There is a sign saying, 'No parking at any time'."

Mr Wren, 44, of Long Eaton, said he was losing business.

"I have had abuse from members of the public saying there's nothing I can do about it. It's just not on.

"We are there to do a job - not to be abused by members of the public.

"I would like to see it enforced and people getting tickets and moved on so it deters people from parking in the taxi ranks.

"There is no enforcement whatsoever and people just park willy nilly and there is no one to help us."

Police are responsible for on-street parking infringements, but Broxtowe Borough Council's parking enforcement team can issue tickets for illegal parking in council car parks. The council is due to take over on-street parking from May, but until then does not have the power to issue tickets.

A spokesman for Notts Police said: "We have still got responsibility for street parking and we will continue to deal with enforcement as much as possible. If any parking issues are identified to us we will deal with them positively."

She said people could call police with details of the peak problem times and locations on 0115 967 0999.
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