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Wolverhampton taxi drivers warned not to use old rank

Hackney carriage taxi drivers in Wolverhampton will be breaking the law if they continue to park along a city centre street, council highways chiefs have said.

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Drivers who were told by the council to use Albion Street as a make-shift feeder taxi rank for Wolverhampton train station will now not be able to park there after the council announced where the new permanent rank will be.

Hackney carriages will now only be able to park along Bailey Street, rather than Albion Street, as it is to become their new permanent home.

A spokesman for Wolverhampton Council said: "The Bailey Street taxi feeder rank is now in operation. The council has asked leaders of the taxi drivers' associations to ensure their members are aware of this.

"From now on the council will be enforcing against taxi drivers, or anyone else, illegally parking in Albion Street during the day time – the restrictions apply from 8.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Saturday."

Taxi drivers have already been informed of the changes, but they now feel as though they are hidden away from the view of potential passengers.

Endera Singh, secretary of the Hackney Carriage Association in Wolverhampton, said: "We are all readjusting to the new layout and the new system. The problem is now that we're hidden away from view.

"We need some sort of link between the station and Bailey Street to find out when we need to feed more taxis around to the rank at the station," he said.

"Maybe the solution is to have two spaces along Corn Hill so that they can keep an eye on passengers and let us know when to send more taxis up."

A spokesman for Virgin Trains said:"Virgin Trains and the council are working with the taxi drivers to put in place a system that better informs them when they should move up from the Bailey Street feeder rank to the station area."

The news comes as council bosses recently confirmed that Sun Street and Corn Hill have now reopened to traffic after extensive works on the access route were completed.

The opening of the streets is expected to ease pressure during peak times at Horsley Fields traffic lights and on the new Network Rail/Virgin Trains passenger drop-off/pick- up area at the station.

Sun Street/Corn Hill has been closed since 2008 following safety concerns surrounding the Grade II-listed Steam Mill building.

The building has been demolished as part of the £132 million Interchange project.

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