Parking in Star Lane 'taxi rank' results in 80 tickets

Public parking spaces that become a taxi rank on Fridays have been branded a 'big earner' for Lincolnshire County Council.

Eighty parking tickets have been issued to people misusing the spaces on Star Lane, Stamford since the start of this year.

Town councillor Harrish Bisnauthsing (LibDem)claims the spaces are effectively 'a trap' because they are free for people to use six days a week, but only taxis are allowed to park there on Fridays when the market covers the Broad Street taxi rank.

Coun Bisnauthsing said: "Taxis are not always using the Star Lane parking spaces, and so when drivers see they are empty on a Friday, they park there perhaps assuming that the normal rules apply.

"My guess is that it is the council's biggest earner, in terms of places where people receive parking tickets in Stamford."

Coun Richard Davies (Con), executive member for highways and transport at Lincolnshire County Council, said:“The signage is deemed to be clear and suitably placed to draw the attention of a motorist, and complies with legal requirements.

"The signage is bright yellow and the bay has a thick yellow line running through it, highlighting to motorists that restrictions are in place.

"In the past we have received numerous complaints from taxi drivers advising that they cannot use the taxi rank as other vehicles are parked there.”

County council income from parking tickets issued in Stamford for the 2018/19 financial year totalled £117,480.30 to March 25.

Earlier this month, The Mercury reported that of the penalty charge notices issued in Stamford, a third of disputed fines were overturned after drivers appealed against them.