Plea to help Blackpool cabbies make more cash

Conservative group leader Coun Tony Williams will put the request to the vote at the next full meeting of the council on Wednesday September 21.

While hackney cabs are already allowed to display adverts, Coun Williams says the opportunity should be extended to private hire vehicles to help them offset rising costs.

He said: "It's common practice all over the world but not in Blackpool. It creates extra revenue for operators in these difficult times."

Coun Williams has submitted a notice of motion to the council.

It says taxi companies "have recently been presented with further cost challenges caused by rising fuel costs and road closures around the resort."

The motion adds: "To increase their revenue streams and promote local and regional business the council should permit advertising on both hackney carriage and private hire vehicles with an agreed type of content."

Coun Williams is asking for the council's chief executive Neil Jack to meet with representatives of the taxi trade to discuss the viability of advertising.

Any recommendation made would then go before the relevant licensing committee to consider changing the current policies around the display of adverts.

The notice of motion adds: "The intent would be collective campaigns where advertising revenue is shared on an equal basis between vehicles and the companies to formulate a payment procedure for their drivers."

Councillors will vote on the notice of motion when they meet at the Town Hall.