New York-style yellow cabs could soon be cruising the streets of Plymouth.

The cabs' black and white chequered strips and roof-mounted advertising boards would strike a chord with fans of movies like Scorsese's 1970s classic 'Taxi Driver'.

The colourful revolution is Plymouth City Council's answer to taxi owners who say they want to be allowed to use saloon cars just like private hire firms and not be restricted to London black cab style vehicles. The council says that if it agreed to the change, the public would need a way to tell Hackney cabs - which can be flagged down in the street - from private hire cars, which have to be booked in advance.

"One way this can be done is to change the livery of taxis, and we have suggested yellow, but it is only a suggestion at this stage," a council spokeswoman said.

"This is a consultation exercise - we are just putting our toes in the water to see what the reaction from the trade would be about allowing saloons and issues that would have to be taken into account as a result of this.

"We have sent the draft policy to vehicle owners for them to read through and make any suggestions they may have."

Private hire vehicles would be banned from using the same colour as a Hackney cab.

Because the cabs will have a full body livery, they will no longer be allowed to have any advertising or sign apart from the company name and phone number, and the council licence plate, on any of their panels.

Instead, they will be allowed to have a roof-mounted advertising board.

Andy Wheeler, of Dial A Cab, welcomed the colour change as a way of helping the public to tell the difference.

But he said it would be an expensive change.

"I reckon you are talking about £2,000-a-vehicle to have it sprayed properly," he said.

"The boards would be another £70 to £80.

"And then a saloon car would have to be adapted for disabled people.

"But I suppose saloon cars are cheaper to buy in the first place than the traditional London black cab.

"And a saloon car is much more comfortable for the passengers."

But black cab driver Jay Boyles said: "It's crazy. The council had them all the same colour - black - and then changed to let them be any colour.

"If the private hire cars weren't allowed to have lights on top there wouldn't be a problem."

He said he would not want a saloon car. "I like to have my passengers in the back. It's far safer with the partition - for the customer and for us."

Council Cabinet member Glen Jordan said: "When we did the first consultation last year, less than two per cent of drivers came back to us, so we are trying to use other methods of getting their opinions.

"If the trade thinks it would improve the image of the city to have yellow cabs, then I'm for it.

"But if after consultation we decide it's an expense that doesn't move the service forward then we'd have to think again."  

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