UNWITTING holidaymakers are being ferried to Manchester Airport by 'rogue' taxis according to a local cabbie. Unlicensed, uninsured drivers are using their private cars to pick up lucrative airport fares. And the Lancaster taxi driver fears that a 'disaster is just waiting to happen.'

The local driver, whose business relies on the airport trade, says: "These cars have no plate, the drivers have no badge or insurance, they have not been checked out by the police and one day a serious accident is going to happen. By then it will be too late."

"They are usually unemployed and making money on the side. When they pick people up they know that their passengers are away for a couple of weeks and there have been stories of these drivers going straight round to burgle the passenger's house after dropping them off."

Registered taxi drivers have to be licensed by a council committee and are checked out by the police. Cars are inspected twice a year and must be maintained in tip top condition. "These rogue taxis could be driven by absolutely anyone," added the local driver, who fears his could turn up at your house. There's no way of knowing. A lot of people don't look to see if the car has the proper plates. They're more concerned about going on their holidays. These rogue taxis are driving legitimate firms out of business. I've been in the game for a good few years and there's more and more of these rogue taxis appearing all the time. It's time something was done."

The council's senior licensing officer, Steve Wearing, advised the public to check out every taxi they get into.

He said: "It's important that people have a look and check out the plates, which should be yellow with 'City of Lancaster' on them. The drivers should also have a badge on public display which shows a photograph of the driver and an expiry date."

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