TAXI-DRIVERS caused gridlock in the town centre yesterday and say they will do it again if the council does not rethink its proposed increases to taxi licences.
Scores of private hire taxis drove slowly through town at about 10.30am to hold up traffic and hooted their horns - some drivers said up to 100 cars took part.
The temporary closure and narrowing of parts of Church Street worsened the chaos and jams quickly spread out to town end and down Huddersfield Road, but the protest was all over in about half an hour.
John Hoe, of J and C Travel, Wombwell, said: "If the council doesn't sit up and listen to what we're saying, as far as I'm concerned we'll be prepared to do it again. And we might considering it at a different time when it might have even more impact."
The drivers are protesting because the changes which are due to come in next month will see operators' licences rocket, for example a driver, who owns his own operators' licence and has a car more than five years old, will see his licence go up from £136 to £320.
Coun Charlie Wraith, chairman of the licensing board, said the council's licensing services were currently £27,000 in the red, and needed to cover the costs.
