BLACK cab drivers have criticised a council decision to license new taxis which they say put road users at risk.

A licensing committee meeting approved the use of Ford Connect cabs as Hackney carriages on Tuesday, sparking anger among cabbies.

Bill Williams, the chairman of Bolton Taxi Drivers Association, said disabled passengers could only be loaded in to the vehicles by ramps from the rear, meaning the taxis would need to pull forward out of taxi ranks to load wheelchair passengers.

"They are dangerous for disabled people and for other road users," said Mr Williams.

"To load a disabled passenger, drivers will have to pull in to the road and bump the wheelchair user down the kerb to get them in.

"The only people who this decision is advantageous to is the drivers of these vehicles."

Mr Williams said he had written a letter to magistrates to appeal against the licensing decision.

Only two other councils in the country have so far approved the use of Ford Connect taxis.

Cllr Hilary Fairclough, chairman of the licensing committee, said she was satisfied with the decision.

"We inspected the vehicle and discussed the matter for a long time," she said.

"I was happy to go along with the committee's decision."