TRANSPORT managers have agreed to further consultation to avert a threatened taxi drivers' strike.

Angry drivers met town hall officials last night to demonstrate the depth of feeling over the introduction of new tests, which they say could force many firms out of business.

The strike, which is being planned for a Saturday night to cause the maximum disruption in the town centre, could leave thousands of revellers stuck in Darlington.

Angry taxi company bosses told a meeting of Darlington Borough Council's Transport Forum last night that they were finding it impossible to recruit new drivers, because of all the expensive rules and regulations around the trade.

The council was planning to force all drivers in the town to take the 40-minute test, which only has a 50 per cent pass rate in other parts of the UK, by July.

But, last night, the Transport Forum agreed to consult both drivers and the public more widely before a decision was made.

Drivers say the council could leave them with no choice but to strike, amid fears that the new test will drive individuals and companies out of business.

Because most cab drivers are not directly employed by the council, they have no legal obligation to inform the authority, or the public, of the date of the strike.

The test is currently voluntary but the council could insist that all taxi drivers in the town take it.

Mick Kennedy, chairman of the Darlington Independent Taxi Traders Association, told last night's meeting that drivers were in favour of the test, which they claimed would keep bad drivers away from the trade and promote public safety.

But he said they were opposed to the council's plan for a blanket enforcement of the test, which would force existing drivers to take it.

Tom Bolan, a director of 1ABC Radio Taxis, said his drivers would not be striking, despite overwhelming opposition to the plans.

He said: "Our company could well go out of business now. There will be less drivers around because the test only has a 50 per cent pass rate."