Frank Allen’s Ryde Taxis cab.
A STUNNED cabbie was issued with a £70 penalty ticket for parking his taxi — on a rank.
Furious Frank Allen, 44, says he left his licensed Ford Mondeo on a stand at South Street, Newport, so he could spend a penny in a nearby pub.
But when he returned to his vehicle minutes later, he noticed a fixed penalty notice attached to his windscreen, saying he had contravened parking regulations by parking his car on a taxi rank.
He has contacted council parking chiefs demanding the penalty notice be scrapped but was told he must formally appeal.
Frank, who is employed as a driver with Ryde Taxis, said: "I couldn’t believe it. My car has a great big illuminated sign on the top saying 'Ryde Taxis’ and there is great big blue writing down the side of the vehicle also saying 'Ryde Taxis’.
"Also, it has a white plate at the back, saying Licensed Hackney Cab.
"I know the council is under pressure to generate revenue but this is ridiculous."
Council officials later told Mr Allen that a parking warden had waited for 12 minutes for him to return to his vehicle and issued a ticket when he failed to turn up because technically his car had not been 'available for hire’.
But the Isle of Wight Council insisted that Mr Allen had parked illegally on May 16 this year.
Head of highways and transportation, Peter Hayward, said: "Ranks are only provided for taxis which are waiting for customers and the parking regulations require the driver to be present.
"They are not there to provide free parking for off-duty taxi owners.
"Not only is this against the parking regulation, it also obstructs other taxi firms waiting to pick up business."
Reporter: suep@iwcpmail.co.uk