Bradford Council has won a High Court victory in its battle to quell the turf war between private hire and taxi drivers.

Two judges sitting at the High Court in London have ruled that private hire drivers cannot go into taxi ranks even to drop passengers off.

The decision could have far-reaching consequences for private hire drivers working across the country.

It follows the prosecution of private hire driver Sabih Thiyab Obaid by the Council's Hackney Carriage unit.

Mr Obaid was charged under by-laws preventing mini-cabs poaching business after he was seen dropping off passengers at the taxi rank on Manor Row last September - even though he was on the rank for only a minute.

But when Bingley Magistrates cleared him of the charge in December, the unit's manager Paul Mills took the case on appeal to the High Court where the decision was overturned. The case has now been referred back to be dealt with by magistrates.

Mr Mills said: "The reason we went to the High Court over what appears to be a minor point is because there is a lot of conflict between the two sides of the trade.

"Anything we can do to minimise that conflict, we take. This was to ensure that in future there is no grey area over who can park in a Hackney Carriage rank and who cannot.

"The two High Court judges' decision upholds what we've always told drivers - that only Hackney Carriage can use the ranks."

Councillor Andrew Smith, chairman of the Council's Hackney Carriage and Private Hire panel, said the decision sent out a clear message to all private hire drivers

He said; "They know the rules, and if they flout these rules it's their responsibility if they get caught.

"I'm glad that even though we lost the case at the magistrates' court, the judges' reversal proves that our decision to prosecute was correct."

But Linda Dixon, Bradford and district representative for the National Private Hire Association, said the Council's action was "petty".

She said: "There are drivers out there with no badges, no driving licences and no insurance and the Council go to all that expense to take this driver to court for dropping off at a taxi rank, after the magistrates ruled in his favour."

Abid Hussain, the chairman of the Bradford and District Hackney Carriage Association, said his members still had problems with private hire cars pinching business by parking in the ranks, especially at weekends.

Mr Obaid's case will now be reheard at Bingley Magistrates' Court at a date to be set.