ABOUT 25 taxi drivers staged a protest in Darlington town centre yesterday to prove a point to the council.

Cabbies say Darlington Borough Council's new Pedestrian Heart scheme, which bans cars from some streets, is harming their trade.

They are angry that they face fines if they queue for fares beyond the limit of their ranks.

Yesterday Linda Linley, secretary of the Darlington Hackney/Private Hire Association, said the cabbies had been told they must carry on driving until they found a space on a taxi rank.

Yesterday, drivers spent an hour driving in a block down Priestgate, along Prebend Row, town Tubwell Row and back into Priestgate.

The demonstration caused long queues, with buses being held up in the congestion.

Ms Linley said it had proved that if there were more than six taxis in Priestgate, it would cause havoc.

"This council is just killing Darlington's heritage. They are trying to turn the town into a city and shops and the public will suffer," she said

Cabbies have also been sent letters by the council explaining that their fees for licenses and plates would increase by up to ten per cent in April.

Councillor Nick Wallis, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "The letters were to inform the drivers of the proposed increases and they now have the chance to have their say before a decision is made.

"The Pedestrian Heart work will increase the number of night time taxi spaces by 60 per cent in the New Year.

"Taxi drivers are only hurting the economy of the town with this senseless action."