A RESOLUTION to end the limit on the number of Hackney carriages in Watford has been greeted as the "right decision" by private hire drivers.

At a meeting of Watford Borough Council's licensing committee on Monday, September 5, councillors resolved to end the "monopoly" granted to the 73 vehicles currently licensed.

Watford Mayor Dorothy Thornhill said: "We are doing this on a point of principle; we do not agree with restrictive trade practices.

"Although this issue has been left up to individual councils, the Government would be coming to us in three years time and asking us why we had not done it."

She said the council had been operating a policy of managed growth, but ending the limit on Hackney carriage numbers was better than spending public money on surveys and fighting court cases against people who want licences.

She said: "This move should, in time, help to ease the situation at Watford Junction station and help people get home from the town centre at night."

Delimitation will come into effect on Friday, October 21, subject to confirmation at the next committee meeting.

Before this date, the council will talk to the relevant parties about delimitation and decide what drivers will need to qualify for a licence.

Rules might include conditions on the types of vehicles used and the livery displayed by drivers.

A council representative said it was also likely there would be changes to the standards for driver's licences, although existing private hire drivers will be able to convert to a Hackney carriage licence if they wish.

A representative of the Hackney carriage trade in Watford, Shujait Sardar, who has previously described delimitation plans as "disastrous", said: "Some of us have reservations as to what the implications of this decision will be. I do not think the council has really considered this in depth.

"At the moment, there is not enough ranking space in the town. Imagine the pollution of the vehicles driving around all the time.

"They have made their decision, but they are going to consult with the trade. They are going to come back to us."

He said he was also concerned that delimitation might damage the professional standards within the trade and attract cowboys who only work during peak hours.

He said that this would be worse for the consumer, as not everyone's needs would be served by such drivers.

A spokesman for the Watford Private Hire Drivers Association, Ivan Percival, said: "We are pleased with the council's decision. It is the right decision.

"We have been after this for three or four years. But there are a number of matters we are very concerned about.

"We and the Office of Fair Trading believe that a mixed fleet is best, rather than one of just black cabs.

"We also want cabs to be able to display company livery or door signs, as this enables the consumer to differentiate between vehicles."