A GO-SLOW protest by cabbies brought rush-hour chaos to Newcastle city centre yesterday.

Big tailbacks built up as taxi drivers demonstrated outside Newcastle Civic Centre at the growing number of Hackney carriage licences being issued by the city council.

But plans to take over the council car park were abandoned when security staff blocked its entrance.

A hasty rethink saw more than 40 members of the United Independent Taxi Association drive their cabs along Sandyford Road.

Cabbies say that there are too many taxis on the city's streets, which has led to hardship for drivers and longer hours.

After a series of recent demonstrations, council bosses agreed to a temporary freeze on the issue of new licences and to carry out a survey to establish if there is any unmet demand.

The cabbies say 23 new licences have since been issued by the council, taking the number in the city to about 800.

Taxi association member Robin Kirkwood said: "We have shown good faith, but we don't think the council has shown good faith and drivers are fed up."

Association chairman Rob Goldie said: "We didn't want to disrupt traffic or bring Newcastle to a halt. We went to talk to the council and our plan was to go into the car park, but they wouldn't let us in."

The cabbies have warned that unless their demands are met more demonstrations could follow.