TAXI drivers in Liskeard say they are becoming increasingly angry that the two taxi ranks in the town are being constantly used by the general public - as parking areas.

They have complained to the Chief Constable of Cornwall and Devon, leading to a day-long police presence at the ranks, on the Parade and in Bay Tree Hill, earlier this week.

However, Grayson Mitchell, of Express Taxis, pointed out that even while the police were by the ranks members of the public still pulled into them to park. He added that the two ranks, which have two spaces each, are paid for by taxi drivers out of their licence fees to Caradon council, and explained: 'This is the only concession taxi operators receive from the local authority from the huge amount of licence fees they pay them.

'The public have no excuse. The taxi ranks are clearly marked 'No Waiting Except Taxi' and are also marked on the road 'Taxi'.'

Mr Mitchell said there was an initial mistake after the new-look Parade was opened around two years ago, because the few bays (four in total) were mistakenly marked 'disabled'. The criteria was then changed after about two weeks, but Mr Mitchell added that the disabled still park there as much as the general public - and in the bus bays as well which frequently leads to buses having to stop in the middle of the road, so holding up traffic.

He said taxi drivers have sympathy for the disabled, but pointed out that their concessions for parking do not extend to taxi ranks and bus bays.

He maintained: 'We do also sympathise with the general public who are trying to find somewhere to park, but only yards from the taxi ranks there are car parks.'

Taxi drivers who cannot get into the bays because of illegal parking have no option but to drive around the town, using up valuable petrol. Mr Mitchell estimates that taxis are denied access to their bays about 70-80% of the time. He described the situation as a 'nightmare', and urged the general public to bear in mind where they are parking.

He added: 'We don't want to fall out with the public, because they are our customers. But the situation is certainly not improving.'

The ranks are not only used by Liskeard taxi firms, but also by those in outlying villages, such as Pensilva, who bring customers in and out of Liskeard to shop etc.