Taxi drivers in Bradford are being forced out of business due to escalating insurance costs, a spokesman for the trade has warned.

Shabir Munir, of the Bradford Hackney Carriage Drivers’ Association, said some drivers had seen their premiums more than double in a year, with costs running into thousands of pounds.

He said: “The way business is right now, unless you work 20 hours a day you are barely making enough to live on.

“We have a major problem with people driving without insurance, fraudulent claims. We need legislation to be stronger to stop it from happening.”

Mr Munir said he knew of eight or nine drivers working in Bradford who were looking at quitting the business as they no longer saw it as being profitable.

Premiums have been forced up in some areas of Bradford due to levels of uninsured vehicles being well over the national average, including Barkerend, which was last year named as one of the top five hotspots for uninsured drivers across the UK.

Mr Munir has contacted Bradford East Liberal Democrat MP David Ward, who will hold a summit in August to look at possible solutions to the problem of spiralling insurance costs.

Mr Ward said: “It has a knock-on effect. If the taxi drivers can’t pay the premiums, they’ll put their prices up or go out of business. It impacts on everyone.”

The car insurance summit will be on Tuesday, August 23, at City Hall at a time to be confirmed.

Anyone who would like more information about the event should telephone Mr Ward’s office on (01274) 403973.

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