Newquay taxi drivers fear their livelihoods will be affected if new rules come into force, described as the “biggest shake-up” in the taxi trade ever.

Cornwall Council is proposing to remove a numerical policy in the Restormel taxi zone for hackney carriages.

Taxi drivers believe it could be difficult to get customers from a taxi rank during the peak summer if any licensed hackney carriage can come and pick up trade, due to the dwindling number of people who enjoy a night out in the town and the lack of spaces.

Cornwall Council’s miscellaneous licensing committee is recommending the existing policy in the taxi zones in Restormel, Penwith and Carrick should be removed.

Members recommended the rules should be changed due to a lack of taxis, which has resulted in customers queuing for substantial periods.

But frustrated taxi drivers argue there is not a lack of cabs – they say the problem is a lack of drivers and private hire vehicles.

Cornwall Council’s full council was due to make a decision on the proposal at its meeting yesterday.

Town councillor Nick Morris from Chough Taxis in Newquay said: “This is the biggest change to the industry for the local taxi trade ever.

“If delimiting was to happen, as the rank work in the town is a lot less than it used to be years ago, then it would be catastrophic for the industry and not alleviate the problem anyway as you would have even more rank cars diluting the little rank work we get even more.

“I am just hoping for the good of the people that do still use hackneys that this doesn’t go ahead as they may get less availability than what they currently have in a year or two’s time.”

Town councillor Mark Formosa said: “If there is no limit then taxis are all going to come to Newquay during peak times.

“At the moment taxi drivers struggle to get a place on the rank anyway.”

The council report states: “Members felt that, on balance, the evidence before them supported the view that the availability of taxis was reduced by the imposition of a numerical limit policy.

“Further, the lack of taxis was also resulting in frustrated customers walking home, or walking back to holiday accommodation, along busy or dangerous rural roads.

“This included young and vulnerable people.

“Members accepted these matters and felt that, in the event that there were more taxi licences available and therefore the potential for more vehicles to be able to pick up customers, including from the rank, it was more likely that waiting times for consumers would be reduced.”