A taxi driver was dragged from his car and beaten in what is described as a spate of attacks against private hire cab drivers.

Now Bolton Private Taxi Hire Association has called for mandatory stickers to be removed from vehicles which they say make them vulnerable to attacks as they are identified as taxi drivers.

Abuse levelled at drivers includes items being thrown at cars to physical assaults.

A Bolton councillor has said she met with a taxi driver in Heaton who was dragged from his car and beaten.

Last year a taxi was attacked by mud and stones in Bromley Cross with the driver blaming the fact  the signage helped identify him as a driver.

The Bolton News: Yasif Khan and Mahmood Akhtar held a meeting at Bolton Council this week

Taxi bosses claim there have been six incidents where drivers have been attacked over the Christmas period including one driver having food thrown at him near Leverhulme Park.

Members of the union have held a meeting with Bolton Council to ask whether stickers identifying taxis can be removed.

They claim this move will make them less vulnerable to attacks.

The Bolton News: A taxi was pelted with mud and stones in Bromley Cross in the summer

Among the spots in Bolton which are said to be problematic for drivers include Leverhulme Park in Breightmet, Deane Church Lane in Deane, Tonge Moor Road and High Field in Farnworth.

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Mahmood Akhtar, the vice chairman of the association, explained why he believes that removing stickers is necessary.

He said: “Our vehicles are being attacked because they can see us from miles away because of the stickers, they just target us.

“Cars have had mud and stones thrown at them and most of our drivers have given up on reporting this to the police.

“We have had seven attacks recently.

“At Leverhulme Park the driver was going to pick up a job.They chucked food at him and they damaged his vehicle, that was in December.

“Other spots where we have had problems include Tonge Moor Road, Deane Church Lane and High Field in Farnworth.

“It is not just those spots drivers are getting attacked in every area.

“When they see the stickers they attack, we have to have these on 24/7, we want them to be removed.”

Cllr Sue Haworth  said the Labour administration has not yet made any recommendation on stickers.

She said: “I am concerned about private hire and hackney carriage driver safety.

"It was very effective when the Police Inspector met with taxi trade representatives last year to discuss intimidation, assaults and fear that many taxi drivers in the borough live with. Bolton taxi representatives recently raised concerns about the vulnerability of drivers with me so I will ask the police to meet with me and the taxi trade representatives again.

"There are incidents of stone and egg with flour throwing again here, putting drivers and their passengers at risk, including risk of smashed windscreens and accidents.

"I met a Heaton taxi driver who was dragged from his vehicle and beaten here in Bolton.

“This administration would not support any taxi bonnet stickers last year that were promoted by Greater Manchester. It’s true that in some other parts of England taxi’s don’t have sizeable stickers but have various smaller plates.

"This administration has not yet made any recommendations on taxi stickers. We will work with the taxi trade and other parties at the Council on recommendations about taxi driver and the taxi using public’s safety across the borough.”