WARDENS are to patrol Bishop Auckland's taxi ranks in an attempt to curb trouble from revellers in the early hours.

The trial scheme is due to start next month. It will operate on Friday and Saturday nights in the Market Place, which is home to many of the town's pubs, between 11pm and 3.30am.

Wear Valley District Council will test the initiative during a four-week period, before deciding whether to continue and extend it to other areas. As well as monitoring pub-goers, the wardens will check for unlicenced taxis and keep the area cleaner by encouraging people to put rubbish in bins.

Tom Carver, the council's head of public protection, said the recruitment of wardens was under way.

"It looks like we will be running a pilot scheme, hopefully starting in June," he said.

"It will operate on Fridays through to Saturday mornings, and Saturdays through to Sunday mornings.

"We will see how it goes but it should be good news for taxi drivers and customers.

"If it's successful, we will look at keeping it going and perhaps using it in other places."

Taxi queues are often the scene of trouble because fights break out over queue-jumping or arguments from earlier in the night, the council said.

But it is hoped the wardens will prevent incidents and make revellers - particularly women - feel safer.

Similar schemes have been mooted in the past.

Stuart McClackhan, of Atlas Taxis and Minibuses, said it would make life easier for drivers and passengers.

He said: "It's an excellent idea - we really need something.

"We do need some sort of policing on the line when it's busy. So hopefully, if this goes ahead, it will help control that."

Talks to further improve safety by installing CCTV in cabs across the district are continuing. A meeting was held this month, and another will take place on Tuesday, June 5, at the Aclet Hotel, in Bishop Auckland, starting at 6pm.