Parking Ticket on Mini-bus in Taxi Bay - is it valid?

[thehangmen]

The scum of the earth have issued me a parking ticket for my mini-bus being parked in a taxi-rank.
Anyone knowledgeable on the issue? Is it technically a taxi without a licence (presuming one is needed)?
As it was in not in my local area a local taxi-whatever wouldn't be obtainable/viable - but as a mode of passenger carrying tansport is it a 'taxi'.

[FredTransit]

sorry mate, you have to have a Taxi plate to make it a taxi! Was there any times on the rank, also could you write to them (nothing to loose) and say you were loading/unloading and that you had nowhere else to do it? For loading you get 20 mins on a double yellow line, as long as there are no markings in the gutter, but I don't know how you stand with a taxi rank and loading.

[motorwise]

afraid a taxi rank is for taxis only - I've even had trouble doing breakdowns on taxis on a taxi rank (how fair is that - when the taxi is holding everyone up) - you'll have to get the queen blinking on this one I'm afraid