Frustration as car left in Hastings taxi rank for days

The silver Vauxhall has been left on the side of Queen’s Road outside Priory Meadow Shopping Centre since at least Friday (February 10) – and is still there.

Taxi driver Paul Elmes said he reported it to the police on Saturday, who told him they could not remove it, and as did the council, leaving him to despair over who is responsible.

“All of us drivers using the taxi rank are being put in hazard by the car, as well as the other vehicles we have got to go around,” he said.

“It’s scandalous that no one is able to do something. The public’s safety is being totally disregarded and compromised by jobsworths.”

Hastings Borough Council said it was first reported to it on Friday (February 10), while Sussex Police said it was first reported online yesterday (Monday).

The local authority is responsible for removing abandoned vehicles after police have checked whether it is of interest to them.

Mr Elmes said it is not just the inconvenience to himself and the other cabbies that annoys him, but also the authorities’ inability to remove it and the lack of awareness for who is in charge.

“It might just be better information that is needed for the public to know who is responsible,” he said.

“Once upon a time that would have been towed away the same day.

“There isn’t a clear and obvious channel out there, any person would give up trying to report things.”

A police spokesman said: “The vehicle was first reported to Operation Crackdown on Monday (February 13).

“Currently, it is the responsibility of the local council to assess.”

A Hastings Borough Council spokesman said: “The car was initially reported as being illegally parked in the Queens Road taxi rank, and passed by our control room to NSL, who undertake on-street parking enforcement on behalf of East Sussex County Council.

“It has still not been moved, and is now being treated as an abandoned vehicle, with appropriate action being taken.”

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