Taxis to be banned from Sandwell Council car parks
TAXI drivers will no longer be able to take up shoppers spaces in Blackheath if proposals to ban them from council car parks get the go-ahead.
Sandwell Council wants to stop private hire drivers using its car parks across the borough after complaints about them taking up bays.
Blackheath councillor Mary Docker welcomed the move saying she had been raising the issue since 2005 when drivers from Blackheath Cars began using the car park on Park Street which its offices back on to.
She said: “I’m thrilled to bits - this is great news.
“Taxi drivers parking on the car park in Park Street have caused horrendous problems.
“There are usually between nine and 11 spaces taken up by taxis and I have been getting complaints daily about it from shoppers. It is supposed to be a shoppers car park not a taxi rank.
“Finally after all these years something is being done.”
Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for neighbourhood services Councillor Derek Rowley said: "In view of a number of complaints we have received from shoppers and shopkeepers about the lack of spaces on council car parks due to them being taken by private hire vehicles, we are now looking at introducing a new clause in the regulations banning them from council car parks.
"I have to stress that this is simply a proposal and nothing has been done yet. There will have to be a full consultation carried out where people can object if they want to.
"Then a decision will be made one way or the other, but that is still a long way off."
Abdul Rehman, owner of Blackheath Cars, said he would object to the move. He said parking spaces were reduced in the town as part of the Blackheath bypass scheme.
Mr Rehman said: “We provide a service for the public and pay money in the meter to park.”
http://www.halesowennews.co.uk/news/9336715.Taxis_to_be_banned_from_Sandwell_Council_car_parks/
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