DURHAM City Council has halted its plans to issue nine new taxi licences after cabbies secured legal advice.

The move follows a drivers' lightning strike over a week ago which left the city without cabs on a busy Thursday night.

Drivers were reacting to the Liberal Democrat-run authority following the council's decision to issue nine new licences to those who had not held hackney permits previously.

The council decision followed a review of taxi provision in the town, which was funded by the drivers themselves, and decided to prevent any of the existing drivers from applying for them.

Both the Durham City Taxi Association and the Durham Independent Taxi Association were also unhappy with another ruling that all cabs in the city must be white and have age limits placed on vehicles.

The wrangle deepened when the council also specified the introduction of vehicles for the transportation of the disabled with rear access.

Adrian Fets, of the independent association, said: "We understand that new local government guidelines will mean colour coding of cabs, but all of the drivers were of the view that they should be silver in colour.''

He said that while the drivers welcomed the introduction of cars to carry the disabled, the Durham drivers believed that they should have side access because of the nature of the ranks in the town.

With consultations between the sides deadlocked, the taxi drivers have now turned to expert legal advice.

On their behalf, the National Private Hire Association has consulted a barrister and written to the city council asking for all documentation relevant to the dispute.

The letter also asked the council to halt the issuing of licences until the papers were forwarded.

"The council has left us with no alternative. It has made it clear that nothing we say or do will persuade them to alter any of their rulings, '' said Mr Fets.

While not ruling out any further strikes, Mr Fets said that drivers would now be guided by their barrister over any future action

A city council spokesman confirmed the authority had temporarily suspended the handing out of the new licences.