Posted on the 26th October 2026 in PHTM News

POLICE VAN AMONG VEHICLES BLOCKING EAST RENFREWSHIRE RANK AS DRIVERS DEMAND COUNCIL ACTION

Taxi drivers in East Renfrewshire are demanding tougher parking enforcement after all four spaces at a designated taxi rank were occupied by other vehicles – including a Police Scotland van.

The East Renfrewshire Licensed Drivers’ Association (ERLDA) has called on East Renfrewshire Council to take urgent action over persistent parking problems that are preventing licensed taxi drivers from accessing ranks provided specifically for their use.

A photograph taken at the Mearns Road taxi rank in Clarkston at 12.30pm on Friday 23 October shows all four spaces occupied by vehicles other than licensed taxis, leaving no room for drivers to pick up passengers.

While ERLDA acknowledges that police vehicles may have legitimate operational reasons for stopping in restricted areas, it says the photograph highlights a much wider, longstanding problem.

John Munn, Taxi Representative for ERLDA, said: “Taxi drivers are regularly arriving at designated taxi stances only to find they can’t get access because the spaces are being occupied by other vehicles.”

“We shouldn’t have to compete with illegally parked vehicles for spaces that are specifically designated for licensed taxis. We need proper enforcement to make sure these stances are available when drivers need them.”

According to ERLDA, the council has previously blamed a shortage of parking enforcement wardens for difficulties tackling the problem. However, the association is questioning why more has not been done to address staffing shortages and whether the cost of additional wardens has been properly assessed.

ERLDA has also suggested installing ANPR cameras at problem locations, including Mearns Road in Clarkston and Kennishead Road in Thornliebank. The association says council officials have cited installation costs and access to DVLA information as obstacles, but it wants to see evidence that the options have been properly investigated.

John Paul Duffy, General Secretary of ERLDA, said: “If the Council doesn’t have enough parking enforcement wardens to effectively enforce its own restrictions, then it needs to explain what it’s doing to address that shortage.

“Simply telling the trade there aren’t enough wardens isn’t a solution.”

ERLDA is now demanding:

• More effective parking enforcement at taxi ranks.

• An explanation of enforcement staffing shortages and plans to address them.

• A proper assessment of the costs and legal feasibility of ANPR cameras.

• Immediate targeted enforcement at known problem locations.

• Clear timescales for improvements and accountability.

The association says it has repeatedly raised these issues through the East Renfrewshire Hire Car Forum but has seen little evidence of meaningful progress.

Mr Duffy concluded: “Our members aren’t asking for special treatment. They’re asking to be able to access the taxi stances specifically designated for their use.

“Our members have raised the problem. We’ve taken it directly to the Council. Now we expect action.”

The association is inviting East Renfrewshire Council to respond publicly to the concerns raised.


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