CHESHIRE West and Chester Council issued fines worth £26,572 to motorists caught by its CCTV van at the Bridge Street taxi rank in the city centre last year, according to a Freedom of Information response.
The council has always said its van – which caught 538 motorists – was tasked with targeting the Hackney carriage rank following a ‘large number of complaints’.
But the FOI response to The Chronicle reveals just two taxi drivers made a total of six official complaints about the rank being obstructed.
However, the number of the reported incidents contained within the complaints is said to be higher.
In addition, the obstruction of the ranks, including the Bridge Street rank, was raised as a problem by Cheshire West and Chester Hackney Association on behalf of its members on March 1 and July 5, 2011.
The FOI response confirmed the contents of the complaints was not recorded.
But a spokesman said: “The substance of the complaints was that the rank on the lower section of Bridge Street was being or had been obstructed by a vehicle (or vehicles) and this prevented the drivers from using the rank.
“In addition, the complainants stated that the obstruction of the rank negatively affected their income and the council was to blame because it was not enforcing the regulations.”
The FOI response claims about £17,395 worth of fines was actually received in relation to the Bridge Street rank during 2011/12. But there were 354 notices issued at £35, 105 issued at £70 each and 61 issued at £112.
The FOI response shows licensing officers also carried out enforcement visits to the Bridge Street rank on six occasions during 2011/12.
