Cabbies fear town centre traffic problems will end in a death or serious injury.

Unrestricted bumper to bumper on-street parking means taxi drivers are turning blind on to the roadway from a new rank in central Middlesbrough.

Private cars are also parking in the rank and carrying out U-turns in its one entrance and exit, creating additional hazards.

"Someone is going to get killed. We can't see when we go (turn) out," said taxi driver Bernard Cronin.

Joe Durkin, secretary of Middlesbrough Hackney Ass-ociation, said: "We don't want to see anybody injured or killed, but it looks as though this is going to have to happen before Middlesbrough Council sits up and takes notice."

The council moved the town centre rank into a former unused children's play area earlier this year, but did not paint double yellow lines or install signs.

According to a Middlesbrough Council spokesman that will soon change, but in the meantime, he said, the local authority is to call on Cleveland Police for help.

"We are going to alert them to the dangerous situation there, until the yellow lines are done. That and the signs will be done as soon as possible."

Fed up residents say if safety action is not taken quickly they will blockade Grange Road in protest.

Yesterday was the start of a Middlesbrough Council crackdown on bad parking with the replacement of two police employed traffic wardens with 16 council wardens.

Jason Walker, secretary of St Aidan's Walk Residents' Association, said: "We were promised as from today, the problem would be rectified and all we are getting is buck passing.

"Because of the parking people can't get across the road to the shops or the post office and the taxi drivers are losing money because they are getting blocked in."

The council spokesman said: "Yes, there is a problem in this area. Signs will clearly state this is a taxi rank. It is going to be clear to anybody that there is a taxi rank."

He said adding yellow lines and signs will make the street a safer place.