Newcastle's black and white taxi plan back on

Newcastle's black cabs would have to add a white vinyl to their bonnet

Plans to rebrand Newcastle's taxis in a black and white livery have been revived after a delayed caused by a dispute with drivers.

Newcastle City Council said adding a white strip to the bonnets of black cabs would reduce the risk posed by fake taxis preying on vulnerable women.

The plan stalled when drivers said it would be a "waste of taxpayer money" and cost them to upkeep.

Councillors are set to sign off on the scheme next week.

The proposed decoration matches the famous colours of Newcastle United and the council said it would make the city's licensed taxis more easily recognisable, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

A backlash from drivers led to the council's new taxi licensing policy being paused in July to allow for further talks.

But the unaltered plans, which have been supported by the city's street pastors and organisations trying to prevent violence against women, are due to come back to councillors for final approval next week.

A report ahead of Wednesday's full council meeting said there was a "need to improve public cognisance of hackney carriages, so they are distinguishable 'brand'" and there was "an evidence base of police sexual assault investigations linked to unlicensed private cars".

Police made 80 interventions during an eight-week operation investigating unlicensed vehicles targeting vulnerable people in the city centre over recent months, safeguarding 34 potential victims as a result, the report highlighted.

The proposal has been met with opposition from taxi drivers in the city

Mohammed Subhan, secretary of the Newcastle British-Bangladeshi Taxi Drivers' Association, said his colleagues were resigned to the introduction of the policy, despite their protests.

He had previously argued that installing improved CCTV in cars and at taxi ranks would be a more effective way to enhance safety.

Other concerns from drivers included imposters still being able to easily copy the new design, passengers mistakenly thinking that drivers had been forced to replace their bonnet after being involved in a crash, and the black and white livery deterring non-Newcastle United fans.

Mr Subhan said: "We tried, we protested, but they are not listening. We are not happy, but it is going ahead.

"We can't do anything about it, it's the council's decision."

£100 grant

However, Mr Subhan expressed hopes that the council may yet agree to provide support to help drivers with the cost of replacing damaged or dirty bonnet wraps.

While the council is planning to give a £100 grant to each of the 597 licensed Hackney carriage drivers in Newcastle to help with the cost of fitting the white vinyl wrapping, it was claimed that drivers may be forced to fork out regularly to have them replaced. 

Taxis would also need to display red council crests on the front doors and have a taxi sign on the roof that is white at the front and red at the rear.

Private hire vehicles, which must be booked in advance, would not require the new colour scheme but would need to show a green council plate and display the operator's details on the back passenger doors.