A FORMER taxi driver is calling for more taxi licences to be made available to prevent violence among stranded revellers.

Phillip Wilkinson, 33, used to drive a cab around Durham City, but gave up after suffering at the hands of violent attackers at weekends.

Over the past four years he has been caught up in two terrifying incidents - once when a man produced a machete and another when he had his windscreen cracked and passengers tried to douse him in petrol and strangle him.

He believes the problem is exacerbated by the lack of taxis available to pick people up at weekends, causing crowds of often drunken, rowdy and impatient revellers to gather in the city centre.

But two years ago, when he appealed to Durham City Council to grant him an additional licence and make more available to other taxi operators, it was refused.

Mr Wilkinson, who lives in the Durham area, said: "There are only 55 Hackney carriage licences available in Durham and that number was set in the 1980s.

"There are twice that number in Chester-le-Street.

"In March 2000, the council said there would be more licences available when Millennium City opened, but there aren't.

"It's a free for all, with unlicensed vehicles picking people up, and it's dangerous."

Mr Wilkinson believes the lack of taxis is leading to incidents such as the attack on Claire Robson, the daughter of former Middlesbrough Football Club manager Bryan Robson, who was assaulted while waiting in a taxi queue in Durham earlier this year.

He wants the council to issue more licences specifically for black cabs.

"Black cabs give drivers better protection and are wheelchair accessible.

"Only one of the 55 licensed Hackney carriages can be used by disabled people."

A council spokeswoman said there were plans to issue five more licences for wheelchair-friendly taxis.

She denied that there was an unmet demand for taxis in the city centre on a weekend, but said the situation would be reviewed when the new Walkergate development was completed.