A month of enforcement by Nottingham Council’s licensing team delivered 49 Penalty Charge Notices issued to drivers who illegally parked in marked taxi rank bays.
Taxi ranks/bays can only to be used by licensed black cabs, and in many cases, unless stated otherwise, the driver must be with their vehicle, which shouldn’t be left unattended.
The public and even local taxis are not allowed to park in marked taxi bays.
Taxi ranks/bays are design to be either designated pick up points for black cabs, which are allowed to pick passengers up from street hails as members of the public approach the driver, or as places of rest for taxi drivers.
Each location is clearly signposted telling people what kind of taxi bay it is, with any specific regulations clearly listed.
Many times members of the public and even taxi drivers, can be seen illegally parking on a hackney carriage taxi bay.
These offences stop other taxi drivers from accessing the working rank, preventing them from doing their jobs and ultimately earning their wages.
Enforcement officers are usually sent out by the council’s licensing team to help lower the number of offenders and aid in keeping the ranks clear for working taxi drivers.
Local black cabbie, Steve Rickman said “It’s become a running joke around here. Whenever we want to pull up for a break or even to wait for fares, we’re always seeing random cars and vans parked up that clearly aren’t black cabs. Us cabbies pay a lot of money for our licenses and these spaces are part of that. If we can’t use them, then what exactly are we paying for? It’s good that the council have now taken the initiative to penalise those who steal our spots and hopefully it will send out a message to deterrence to those who haven’t yet been caught.”