TAXI drivers in Wyre Forest have received a boost in their fight against an unlimited number of licences being issued in the district after councillors commissioned an independent study on the issue.

Anxious cabbies turned out in force to a meeting of Wyre Forest District Council and stated their case in impassioned terms, submitting a petition containing more than 500 users' signatures.

They warned deregulation would create traffic congestion and parking problems in Kidderminster - and potentially put public safety at risk by unleashing rogue drivers on the streets.

Following a lengthy debate and speeches by past and present taxi drivers, councillors voted to commission a study by independent traffic consultants.

It will determine whether a significant unmet demand for Hackney Carriage services exists in the district and how many additional licences are required to meet any unmet demand.

If the survey does identify that more licences are required, it will advise on a three-year deregulation plan, under which a specific number of new licences would be granted annually from April 1, 2005, to April 1, 2008, subject to criteria including accessibility, suitability and age of vehicles.

It will also justify reasons for the retention of quantity restrictions and state why removal of the restrictions would be to the detriment of consumer.

The taxi trade's offer to sponsor the study was also accepted, despite 15 councillors voting for the district council to pick up the bill.

Speaking at the meeting, last Wednesday, Councillor Mike Oborski said the district council had got itself "into a hell of a mess" over deregulation.

He put this down to the decision by the licensing committee to vote on the issue and pass it on for scrutiny.

He said: "It got into a mess from September, when licensing did two things instead of one.

"We have made fools of ourselves in front of the taxi drivers and the public."

On the issue of who should pay for the study, he added: "It seems wrong for the taxi drivers to fund a survey which may or may not give them what they want.

"Whatever happens - I'm not going to cry over the results - the key thing is we need this survey."

Speaking after the meeting, Roy Powell, chairman of Wyre Forest Taxi Drivers Association, welcomed the decision, saying common sense had prevailed.

He added cabbies were happy to pay for it.

"We would like to give our thanks to the travelling public of Wyre Forest for their support," he said.

"We were also impressed with the courage of Mr Oborski to stand up and say they had got it wrong."