TAUNTON Deane taxi drivers say they are at risk of being put out of business after the council refused to limit the number of taxi licences given out.

The TDBC licensing committee was discussing the issue last night, as some taxi drivers said the increasing numbers of new taxi drivers, particularly at peak times, was making it difficult for cabbies to make ends meet.

But councillors agreed that there was not enough evidence to support limiting the number of licenses with Taunton Deane licensing manager John Rendell recommending maintaining the current position, saying capping the number of taxis could results in less competition, poorer availability in outlying villages and higher fares.

But the committee did agree to look into providing more taxi ranks in the town, and also said that a geographical test would be added to licence applications.

Bob Colclogh, spokesperson for Taunton Deane Taxi Owners Association and owner of Scorpio Cabs, said: "The councillors do not have a clue about the taxi trade.

"Each extra taxi costs us money, there are plenty of taxi drivers out there looking to make short term gains but it is detrimental to the long term taxi trade in Taunton as a whole.

Sebastian Toom, TDTOA secretary and owner of TLC Taxis added: "Unless they do a lot more checks or limit the number of licenses they are going to force us onto the dole."

Both said they would welcome more taxi ranks, and a geographical test added to the licence application but these changes need to come into effect as soon as possible.

The council ran a survey costing £7,650 last year, which concluded that unmet demand for hackney carriages in Taunton Deane "is not significant".

A large chunk of that bill will be met by increasing drivers' licensing application fees by £7.

Mr Colclogh said it was frustrating that it would 'probably be another five years' before the issue could be put on the table again.