From April, anyone applying for a taxi or private hire licence will have to take a £150 vocational course testing their knowledge of the area and their written and spoken English.

South Ribble licensing chiefs have not ruled out that the course could be extended to existing drivers in the future. The so-called BTEC course will have to be completed within six months.

The move was agreed at a meeting of South Ribble Borough Council's licensing committee to ensure a higher standard of driving in the borough.

Taxi drivers have welcomed the plans but remain suspicous about the costs involved.

Dave Baldwin, owner of Lostock Hall Taxis, said: "I agree with the test in principle but I think it will deter people from becoming taxi drivers because of the overall cost.

"We pay for our badge, for a medical assessment and the CRB checks and it puts on an extra cost.

"What I have been told is that you can do the course while you're waiting for the Criminal Records check to come through.

"The cost is excessive but I understand why the council are doing it - they want genuine people to become taxi drivers for better passenger safety.

"But if they're thinking about getting all other licensees to do the test it would empty the ranks.

"There's no need for us to do the test because we already know the area and are good at what we're doing."

Drivers who apply for a new licence currently pay £36 for a criminal records check plus £75 for a medical test as well as £50 for the licence badge and a £6 deposit.

But licensing officers say they have come up with a plan to ease the financial burden on drivers.

New drivers are to be given a provisional licence for six months and then have a further six months to complete the BTEC while they are earning a living.

Coun Brenda Wilson, cabinet member with responsibility for cultural and community services at South Ribble Borough Council, said: "Customers like to know that they can trust their taxis, and this is one way that South Ribble Borough Council can help local firms build that trust.

"We have taken the needs of drivers into account and have opted to introduce a short, affordable course, that will serve not only to provide reassurance to their customers and the council, but it will also be a worthwhile learning experience for them."

Last year the Guardian reported how Portuguese-born taxi driver Manuel Paiva was banned from South Ribble's roads after terrifying customers with his driving

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