DISABLED people could suffer as a whole fleet of taxis are forced off the road.

Town hall bosses have refused to renew the licences of 20 public hire drivers because their saloon cars cannot take wheelchairs.

Bury Council says it is following Government guidelines, and says saloon drivers have had six years to change over to black cabs.

But others accuse the council of "jumping the gun" and denying those who are not chair-bound, and cannot use black cabs, the freedom to choose.

The Bury Times understands that one driver was due to serve the council with a magistrates' court notice of appeal yesterday afternoon (Thursday April 27), with the rest to follow suit.

Jackie Ellis, secretary and director of Bury taxi company Farebay, said up to 60 drivers' livelihoods were threatened.

"We've already submitted petitions and letters to the council over this," she said. "You've got to give people the choice. This means that the disabled are being discriminated against because they won't be given that choice." The vast majority of the drivers under threat are independent but pay radio money to Farebay.

"If you are forced to pay £30,000 for a black cab and then try to make a living, it just won't pay," she said. "For many of these drivers, this will mean the end of their business."

She concluded: "The Government hasn't brought this in. But Bury Council is jumping the gun when there isn't anything to jump over yet."

Mr Alan Norton, chief officer of Bury disability advice group Baddac, said: "You've got to have a mixed fleet of vehicles. These decisions mean that the only vehicle you can flag down is a black cab.

"That's great for those who use wheelchairs but it may not be satisfactory for people which back problems and who prefer the comfort of a saloon. A disabled person would have to get to a phone box and make a pre-booking."

However, Mr Norton said the council's intentions were good, as the black cabs were the only suitable vehicles for people in wheelchairs.

A council spokesman said talks with all parties had been going on for six years.

"Back in 1994 it was made clear that implementation of these changes would be by the year 2000, a timetable that we have always stood by," he said.

"Many other councils already impose a black cab only ruling in relation to public hire vehicles, so this is nothing new. These changes are taking place nationally and in Bury we are only coming into line with those."