WATCH: Calls to cap capital's private hire cars

An Edinburgh City councillor says the authority should consider capping the number of private hire cars in the capital.

The capital's black cab drivers are accusing the council of giving out too many licenses.

Scott Blair is among hundreds taxi drivers calling for an inquiry into local authority licensing.

He told Forth News: "In the last two to three years there's been an extra 1,700 private hire cars added to the streets of Edinburgh which adds to congestion, adds to emissions.

"The council are insisting on having low emissions. We're asking them: 'why do you keep putting on private hire cars?'

"They're adding to emissions, and adding to congestion. We just find it quite hypocritical.

Unite the Union's branch secretary Jacqueline Guthrie told Forth News: "Glasgow have had a very similar situation here. It took them two years to get a cap on private hire cars. Dundee doesn't have the same problem we do because they have policies in place to prevent over-provision of private hire."

Frustrated drivers earlier handed a petition into the city chambers where our senior reporter Bryan Rutherford met them.

Speaking to Councillor Donald Wilson who's on the licensing sub-comittee he asked: "Do you think there's a balance to be struck? It's something that Glasgow has done - they've introduced a cap. We don't have that in Edinburgh at the moment. Is that something that we should have here in the city?"

Cllr Wilson replied: "There is an argument for it, yes, and that's what we'll be looking at very closely."

Our senior reporter also asked: "It's putting more cars on the road. That's adding to congestion, and that's adding to pollution, and taxi drivers are saying that's hypocritical. What would you say to that?"

The councillor responded: "We're not putting private hire cars on the road, but the idea is to recognise the benefits that the taxi trade brings.