AN estate agent has called for action to stop taxi drivers parking illegally in a busy Worcester road.

Several complaints have been made to police and Worcester City Council about drivers parking on double yellow lines and blocking the pavement as they queue for spaces in the taxi rank in Foregate Street.

Chris Pate, financial controller for Andrew Grant estate agent, first contacted the council about 18 months ago to raise concerns about cabs stopping outside their office opposite Foregate Street station.

He said not only were stationary vehicles causing traffic congestion, but they were also blocking the firm’s fire exit.

He said: “On Friday, there were four [taxis] in a row right across the front of the office.

“A few months ago, we were doing a [fire] drill and one member of staff was almost knocked down.

“We’ve complained to the police and the council. It’s very frustrating. It is a real problem and this is despite the new additional taxi spaces in St Swithin’s Street.

"They are parked illegally and they are parked outside the taxi rank.”

Tariq Mahmood, chairman of Worcester Taxi Drivers’ Association, said the group often warned its members about parking illegally and it was encouraging drivers to use the rank in St Swithin’s Street.

He said that other motorists collecting people from Foregate Street rail station also parked in the nearby bus stop and on double yellow lines.

He said: “The taxi drivers are parking there for a very small period and just while they wait for other taxis to move from the rank.

"The other problem we have mentioned to the council is that there is no pick-up point for Foregate station.

“We are encouraging people to park at the [new] rank we have now.

“We are always warning people not to park on double yellow lines or block any businesses.”

A spokesman for Worcester City Council said it was aware of problems and was taking the issue “very seriously”.

He said: “So far this year, 416 parking tickets have been issued for illegal parking in this area, and we are talking to Worcestershire County Council, as highways authority, about finding a solution.

“If we have evidence of taxi drivers parking illegally, we will issue penalty points against them.

“If they accumulate 20 points they will be called before our licensing committee.

"Last week, five taxi drivers had points issued against them for parking illegally in this area.”