Adverts could soon be displayed on Bradford Council regulated taxis and minicabs.

Cabbies have welcomed the decision to re-examine the rules which ban advertising on Hackney Carriages and private hire vehicles.

It is hoped money raised through advertising will help drivers pay for security cameras to be installed in their vehicles.

The desire for CCTV in taxis was sparked by the killing of Keighley taxi driver Mahmood Ahmed in April.

David Webster, head of business services for the Council, said: "We have no problem with the idea of advertising being used in private hire and Hackney Carriage vehicles.

"We would however need to regulate the size of adverts, where on the vehicle they would go and the content.

"We will need to draw up some guidelines to be approved by the Regulatory and Appeals Committee.

"Any decision to have advertising in a cab would be a purely voluntary one."

Mr Webster said the regulations would seek to limit the size of adverts to prevent vehicles looking unsightly.

He said: "The current thinking is A3 size. We don't want a full door. A3 on a saloon is quite big."

Stuart Hastings, director of taxi firm Metro Keighley, said: "I don't want stuff all over my cars but, at the same time, I do want cameras.

"The advertising would help subsidise the cost of installing the cameras."

Mr Hastings has been campaigning for the Council to make security cameras compulsory in taxis to cut attacks on drivers. He said: "The income from advertising for a driver would probably be about £400 or £500 a year, whereas a camera would be about £1,500.

"The advertising income would be a big help."

But he said the space designated to adverts should not be restricted.

Council leader Kris Hopkins (Con, Worth Valley) said he had no objections to plans for adverts on taxis.

He said: "There's no political reason why this shouldn't happen. I'm not bothered how much space is designated to advertising."

Anthony Watt, of CJ's taxis, in Wyke, said: "It's a marvellous idea. We have wanted it for years.

"At the moment, most of the taxis in Bradford look the same, but this will make them stand out more."

Pervez Naik, manager of Oxford Private Hire, in Keighley, said: "We want to put adverts on the cars to generate revenue to fund CCTV cameras.

"We have never been allowed have adverts before and we even have to remove the car manufacturer's sticker from the back screen. It's a step forward."

e-mail: will.kilner@bradford.newsquest.co.uk