CALLS are being made to get rid of a taxi rank in Worcester city centre and offer more disabled parking bays instead.

Worcester City Council is going to hold talks with cabbies over potentially getting scrapping the rank in Queen Street.

Councillor Richard Udall, a Labour councillor for St John's, says he is "regularly contacted" by people who say it is never used.

Following his request the city council is prepared to debate the issue at its licensing committee.

"I am regularly contacted by people in St John's who go into Worcester and say we should get rid of that Queen Street rank and use it for more disabled parking," he said.

"At the moment disabled drivers are ticketed for using it, it's been going on for years but no taxis ever park there.

"What we should do is take this to the county council (which is responsible for highways) and make a formal request that it is changed, it is always empty."

He says despite concern over a shortage of rank space at The Cross, cabbies do not see Queen Street as an alternative because most members of the public don't wait there to be picked up.

Disabled drivers also regularly complain that there are not enough dedicated spaces for them in the city centre.

Following his request Councillor Allah Ditta, who chairs the licensing committee, says he is prepared to take it further.

"I can take it to the highways forum to discuss it, I'll make a request that this issue be raised," he said.

The forum involves senior council officers.

The city council's Conservative leadership also says it is happy to start considering a change.

Councillor Chris Mitchell, cabinet member for finance, said: "I'll inform the cabinet that this is something we should, potentially be thinking about."

Talks will now take place with the taxi trade and a report will be created for the licensing committee.

For the change to come into force, a formal request will need to go to Worcestershire County Council, which would need to launch a public consultation first.