Motorists warned not to park on taxi rank

25 April 2016

Motorists are being reminded not to park on a part-time evening taxi rank on Parliament Street in Harrogate or risk getting a parking penalty charge notice.

The taxi rank, which can accommodate up to ten vehicles, operates between 6.00pm and 8.00am seven days a week and was introduced in November 2015, to address the lack of taxi rank space in the increasingly popular Parliament Street area.

The warning comes after motorists began ignoring signage and traffic cones and started parking in the taxi rank during its hours of operation, thereby preventing licensed taxis from collecting passengers.

Whilst the location operates as pay and display parking throughout the day, anyone parking in the space after 6.00pm risks being issued with a £70 parking penalty charge notice. Additional signage has now been introduced to raise further awareness of the parking restrictions.

Chris Doyle, Harrogate Borough Council’s Taxi Licensing Enforcement Officer said:

The taxi rank was created to prevent taxis from picking up passengers in inappropriate locations thereby causing a hazard for other road users. However, due to other motorists illegally parking in the location in the evenings, licensed vehicles are often unable to use the space.

The last thing that someone wants to find on returning to their car after an enjoyable night out is a parking ticket on their windscreen, so we are urging motorists to take notice of the taxi rank signage and make sure that they do not park there during the hours it is in operation.

The new additional signage will hopefully help drivers be more aware of the risk they take parking here in the evenings and avoid getting a ticket in the future.

3 Comments

  1. Perhaps this could extend to the many taxi drivers who park in disabled bays whilst waiting for a fare when ranks are.full, particularly station parade and by the post-office!

  2. 22.10.21 There were no taxis around when we parked. And where are you supposed to park when most car parks are full. Staying at the Crown & they were full. We paid the charge & was told by the hotel that we could park in the area we were in overnight as the space was not used for taxi’s, therefore not doing anyone any harm. Seems a ridiculous idea to have these spaces available, yet everyone is fighting for parking spaces.

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