TAXI drivers have welcomed the opening of two new taxi ranks in Colchester, having called for the new facilities for three decades.

But the new chairman of Colchester Hackney Carriage Association, Tony Saunders, says it will take a while for members of the public to realise they are not allowed to park there.

And he said an initial period of leniency from traffic wardens, on the request of Colchester Council, while the message got round, would soon end.

“People are still parking on the new one in Head Street, by Sir Isaac’s Walk, and for the most part they are saying they did not realise, but there are signs up now,” said Mr Saunders.

“The traffic wardens are giving them a couple of weeks grace and then anyone using it will get a ticket.”

Along with the new rank in Head Street, another, for the night time, has been created in Queen Street.

This is a loading bay during the day and becomes a taxi rank after 6pm. The proposal for the ranks was put forward by Colchester Council’s licensing committee and then investigated at county level.

Chairman of the committee, Barrie Cook, had put the idea forward 18 months ago and permission was officially given in August last year.

Mr Saunders said it would take a while before taxi drivers began to use it as regularly as the ones in the High Street or North Station, but it was good news.

He added: “They just think about where the main business is, but I think after a while the ranks will take off. People on a night out will be grateful.”