TAXI drivers working at railway stations along the East Coast Main Line are being awarded contracts to run their own ranks after threatening to strike.

Hundreds of cabbies planned a walkout last September, claiming poor treatment by Taxibank UK, the national private hire firm that had the contract for the East Coast Main Line.

They said the company had increased the price of taxi permits and made unreasonable demands for payments. A legal dispute between the two parties is continuing.

Yesterday, train operator GNER confirmed it had awarded the franchise at Darlington railway station to a newly-formed local association of taxi owners.

David Mallender, from GNER, said contracts at other stations along the line, including York and Newcastle, were coming up for renewal and the company was in talks with taxi driver associations about the franchises.

Trevor Brown, from Darlington Taxi Owners' Association, said many cabbies had considered leaving the job because of problems with Taxibank.

"I imagine that 60 per cent of drivers at the station would have disappeared," he said. "But we decided to fight and we have been successful.

"We can now manage the rank at Darlington, issue permits and set the price for permits."

John Notman, from the association, said: "It's been a long fight but it's been worth it."

Taxibank managing director Quentin Curtis said: "It's a decision taken out of our hands."