CABBIES behind a petition are urging Bradford Council to revoke new rules which means all private hire drivers must display permanent stickers on the side of their vehicles.

Nadeem Ahmed, of the Independent Private Hire Association of Bradford, has set up the online petition after the new conditions for drivers came in at the beginning of last month.

Previously drivers had a choice of whether to use magnetic decals or permanent stickers on their vehicle doors, but that option was removed as of January 1, 2016.

The new rules now state that only tamper proof permanent decals shall be fitted to private hire vehicles. The move was intended to bring Bradford Council's licensing service into line with policy changes put forward by West Yorkshire Combined Authority as part of moves to standardise rules across the region.

But Mr Ahmed believes it will ultimately cost private hire drivers who want to change their vehicle or change the firm they work for as the stickers can damage paintwork when being removed - a claim disputed by the council.

He said: "These stickers are extremely difficult to remove once they are on and have a tendency to damage the body work of the vehicle. It could cost a driver hundreds of pounds to have a respray job on both doors every time they want to move firms or change vehicle.

"We think these are unreasonable costs being put onto the trade."

He is calling on Councillor Val Slater, deputy leader of the council, whose portfolio includes taxi and private hire licensing, to revoke the condition and allow drivers to continue using the non-damaging magnetic decals instead.

Cllr Slater told the Telegraph & Argus that similar rules had already been in place in Leeds and other authorities in the region and that they had been introduced in Bradford following non-compliance..

She said: "We dispute the assertions that permanent decals will damage vehicles. Hackney carriages have always had permanent decals on them and we haven't been told of any problems there. The same can be said for private hire drivers in Leeds.

"One issue is that private hire drivers often work for more than one operator. But what we would say in these circumstances is that they should display a permanent decal for the main operator and use a magnetic one over the top for the second operator they work for."

She added: "This hasn't been a change in policy - there has been a review following non-compliance. The public need to be quite clear what type of vehicle they are getting into."

The changes are part of plans to create standard criteria across West Yorkshire, along with a cross-border crackdown on cabbies.

Taxi licensing officers across Bradford, Leeds, Kirklees, Calderdale, Wakefield, and also York are expected to be given powers to enforce rules on cab drivers plying their trade across the region.

The delegated powers will mean that Bradford Council’s licensing and enforcement officers will also be able to inspect taxis and mini-cabs and suspend licences on vehicles licensed by any of the Combined Authority members.

They are all expected to sign up to the new co-ordinated approach by the beginning of April.