TAXI drivers in the Three Rivers area have forced the district council to rethink a “discriminatory” policy which they say threatened their livelihoods.

Drivers of the district’s Hackney Carriage vehicles say the policy has left them facing a battle to stay in business unless councillors build more designated taxi ranks.

Currently the only designated rank available to them is outside Carpenders Park station in South Oxhey.

Drivers, however, say more are needed across the district if they are to adequately serve the people of Rickmansworth, Croxley Green, Moor Park and Chorleywood.

The shortage effects drivers of Hackney Carriage vehicles – similar to London black cabs – who are restricted to picking up fares in one of two ways: at a designated rank or at the roadside.

Richard Mealing, a cabbie with more than 30 years experience, explained that the council’s continued refusal to implement new ranks meant he and his colleagues faced a losing battle to attract business – adding further to the pain of rising fuel costs and soaring insurance premiums.

He said: “With just the one rank it’s a real struggle for us. The current council bylaws say that Hackney Carriage drivers have to return to the nearest rank after dropping off a fare – but we’ve only got one to go to, and that’s often full.

“Unlike private hire cars we can pick people up at the roadside but you can’t rely on that. It seems the council wants us to drive around and around all day and night – but that’s no help to anybody and costs a lot in fuel.”

Of particular concern, say drivers, is the plight of elderly and disabled passengers, who require the extra space afforded by the roomier Hackney Carriage vehicles.

Mr Mealing, who lives in South Oxhey, added: “There are a lot of these people who need us to go out to the shops and things like that. A lot of them live in Chorleywood, Moor Park and Rickmansworth but there’s not much point in us driving all the way from South Oxhey for a five pound fare.”

However, at a meeting of the council’s regulatory services committee on Wednesday evening councillors agreed to rethink their current policy – rejecting contrary advice from council officers after hearing an impassioned plea from Mr Mealing and his colleagues.

The committee agreed, in principle, that the building of new ranks should be investigated and costed.

Mr Mealing said after the meeting: “It was a real result for us.

“Fair play to them – we put our concerns to them and they listened.”