TOWED AND FINED: Liverpool officers clear popular taxi rank of illegally parked minicabs and cars

Image credit: Liverpool City Council Licensing

In a move to clear Liverpool’s taxi ranks of unauthorised vehicles, Licensing Enforcement Officers teamed up with Merseyside Police last night in the city centre.

The operation targeted private hire vehicles (PHVs) and cars illegally parked on taxi ranks, issuing fines to drivers violating the parking regulations.

Liverpool City Council and local police have been actively monitoring the situation for several weeks. Enforcement efforts have escalated from issuing warnings to actively towing vehicles that disregard the rules on Victoria Street and other key locations.

The recent enforcement push successfully cleared Victoria Street Taxi Rank, which should always be exclusively available for taxi use. This has also improved the general traffic flow along the street, according to the council.

A Liverpool City Council Licensing spokesperson said: “Licensing Enforcement Officers are on duty with Merseyside Police this evening in Liverpool City Centre to ensure that Taxi Ranks are being kept clear of unauthorised vehicles. Tickets are being issued to vehicles other than Taxis, which are discovered to be parked on the Ranks."

In further social media posts they added: “For a number of weeks now Liverpool Licensing and Merseyside Police have been issuing Taxi Rank notices to unauthorised vehicles on Victoria Street Taxi Rank warning the owners that their vehicle could be towed away - we are now doing exactly that - Taxi Ranks are for Taxis only!

“Victoria Street Taxi Rank has now been cleared of unauthorised vehicles and is now able to be used by taxis unobstructed. This also allows for the free flow of traffic down Victoria Street.”