Cabbies warn of chaos if changes are not made to the layout of the rank in Skipton’s new bus station.

Lack of signs and a narrow turning circle will lead to confusion and possible accidents, they say.

Taxi drivers also say there is not enough space on the two-way rank for the 13 vehicles they were promised. It accommodates only nine.

And they say the entrance/exit to the public car park is not wide enough for cars to pass comfortably.

They have branded the layout as “impractical” and are demanding an urgent meeting with Craven District Council officers and councillors.

A petition to the council says: “It is the opinion of drivers that the entrance and exit is unsafe and dangerous both to the public and taxi drivers. We are concerned the comments made by representatives of taxi drivers at a meeting on September 26 have not been actioned or consulted.”

The car park has been open unofficially – free of charge – throughout the Christmas holiday. It is due to become fully operational, along with the bus station, from next Monday.

Sue Gaines, of Skipton’s Canal Taxis, said: “Whoever designed the rank has got it utterly wrong. There is no way we can turn round to run down the exit lane without going wide into the public area. It could be dangerous. Some large taxis could have to do a three-point turn.”

And she said there were no proper signs to make it clear that the taxi rank entrance was out of bounds to the public.

“Some people have been driving into the car park and mistakenly running straight up the taxi rank,” she said.

Other taxi drivers claimed there could be a minor collision at the car park entrance because the space was too narrow.

District councillor Paul Whitaker, chairman of the licensing committee, said he too had noticed some problems.

“I watched someone leaving the car park down the taxi lane and, when confronted by a taxi, turning over the humped area at the side,” he said.

“There is not enough space in the rank – I saw a taxi with its nose into the rank but rear sticking out. We do have some teething problems and that is expected. I will be speaking to officers at Craven about it. It will have to be sorted out.”

The issues are to be discussed at the next taxi liaison group meeting.

The bus station revamp has cost £1.2 million and is a joint project between North Yorkshire County Council and Craven District Council, which owns the site.

It features eight bus stands, improved access, better waiting facilities and new toilets as well as the new taxi rank and public parking.