Taxi union gains Bristol Temple Meads station court order

A court has said black cab drivers can use Bristol Temple Meads railway station while they challenge plans to charge them to pick up fares there.

First Great Western (FGW) wants Hackney carriage drivers to pay £375 a year to use the station's forecourt.

A court order gained by The National Taxi Association in Bristol (NTA) states those drivers can gain access if they pay the permit fee into the court.

It will be held pending the outcome of any legal action.

NTA Secretary Morad Tighilt said: "We're not playing here. We're challenging the legality of this permit scheme."

The union has until Friday to decide what further legal action to file and a case management hearing has been scheduled to take place on 12 April at Cardiff High Court.

A FGW spokesman said: "We're quite clear that the permit scheme in Bristol will continue and we'll await any legal challenge that comes up."