COUNCILLORS have called for taxi drivers to choose the colour scheme for Durham City's cabs.

The city council has angered drivers with its plan to phase in colour policy that would require all vehicles to be white.

Drivers say an alternative colour should be chosen to differentiate Durham taxis from those of neighbouring authorities.

A meeting of the council's economy scrutiny panel heard calls for the drivers to be allowed to decide the colour.

Councillor Bill Kellett said drivers would have to pay extra to have vehicles delivered in white as it was a non-standard colour.

"We should listen to the drivers,'' he said.

The committee agreed to affirm the decision to introduce a colour policy and to suggest to the cabinet that applicants for the nine new Hackney licences the council will issue should be asked their views on the colour scheme as they will be the first to be affected by the policy.

Council solicitor Leslie Blackie said the city's taxi associations, who favoured silver, were now opposed to a colour policy.

The cabinet will discuss the issue next week.