Cab drivers have blasted plans to turn a high street’s only taxi rank into a disabled parking bay during the daytime.

The plans floated by the city council would see the rank outside Samphire - which provides space for two taxis - used as a parking spot for blue badge holders from 9am until 5pm.

At a Whitstable Forum meeting this month, Cllr Ian Thomas praised the idea, saying it would make the town centre more accessible to those with mobility issues during daytime hours - when taxi drivers have less need for the space.

He said: “I look after two disabled people who have really very restricted mobility, and who find it difficult to access the bank in the High Street even when I park in the disabled bay right next to it.

" I do not want to exclude taxis from parking in their bay, but to explore dual use during the daytime. Whitstable High Htreet only has four disabled bays, and many blue badge holders are unsuccessful in parking."

But the plans have sparked a backlash from taxi drivers, who say they rely on the space for their livelihood.

Kevin Green, 42, is among those who have blasted the plans.

'If they are going to do that, they need to consider us and our business as well...' - Taxi driver Kevin Green

“We need that rank in the daytime,” he said. “There are several disabled spaces in the High Street and only two taxi spaces. If you are to take this away, you will take away my business. I have a family - I have five children. I need to make a living.

“I need that space to safely pick people up and drop them off. It’s the only place you can pick people up in the town, because the rest of the high street has yellow lines.

“I’m lucky in that I’m a private hire driver as well as a Hackney carriage, so I get bookings over the phone. But a lot of tourists want taking to and picking up from the High Street, and especially in summertime I spend a lot of time waiting at that rank for customers.

“It’s already sometimes hard to get on the rank because it’s taken by other taxis, or people who park in there to drop people off or to pop into the shops.

“There used to be space for three taxis there, but that was cut to two to make way for a disabled bay.

“I don’t object to the council introducing more disabled parking - but if they are going to do that, they need to consider us and our business as well, by putting in more central taxi ranks.”

The council’s joint transportation board asked for a report to be prepared ahead of another meeting.

Cllr Ashley Clark said: “I’ve got total sympathy with what you are saying. What’s being proposed here is quite frankly ridiculous.”

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