THE brakes have been put on plans for another five Hackney Carriage licences this year.

Burnley Council will grant no more licences until plans for the redevelopment of the town centre bus station are finalised and new taxi rank sites are identified.

A "needs" survey last year led to the number of black cab licences rising from 16 to 34 -- resulting in queues of taxis waiting to use the popular bus station rank.

The congestion, with drivers parking on double yellow lines and on an area earmarked for use by handicapped people's vehicles, led to major protests.

The council quickly found alternative sites, which were not always welcomed by the cabbies who preferred busy Croft Street.

Plans to scrap the Croft Street site in the bus station redevelopment brought a storm of protest from taxi operators and a 265-name petition opposing the proposal.

The council had planned to increase the number of Hackney licences by five a year until 2005.

Councillors have agreed to defer this year's increase because of unresolved problems regarding the provision of taxi ranks.