CABBIES are threatening to blockade the historic centre of York in protest over the latest invasion of the city – by Uber drivers.

They claim that drivers from the controversial internet taxi service are “flooding into the city” at weekends.

But the local council has urged them not to take matters into their own hands, saying the authority would investigate complaints and take action where appropriate.

More than 100 Hackney and private hire drivers attended a meeting to vent their anger after City of York Council opened rendezvous points for private hire drivers across the city.

A union spokesman said: “These are points where private hire vehicles can wait for calls from their office. The York taxi trade believe that they have been put in place for the benefit of Uber drivers who flood into the city at weekends from outside the area.”

Bill Chard, from the GMB’s Professional Drivers’ Association, claimed changes were being introduced without proper consultation and without any demand from the York trade.

“Not one person present said that they had been consulted or accepted any need for these rendezvous points,” he said.

“York are acting like some banana republic dictators, riding roughshod over the interests of local drivers and local businesses in favour of outsiders who will not put a single penny into the York economy.”

The GMB’s national officer for the Hackney and private hire trade, Mick Rix, who represents 20,000 people in the industry, attended the meeting and said the union would back the York drivers’ campaign.

He said: “York-based drivers meet the city’s demand. They are local people who spend their money here and they do not cause extra pollution by driving from West Yorkshire because they are already in the city.

“I understand why the drivers are so angry when they perceive that the council is bending over backwards to appease the outsider UBER vehicles.”

The meeting concluded with a vote in favour of “blocking the city centre if the City of York Council continue to ignore the trade.”

The council’s head of public protection, Matt Boxall, said private hire pick up points were introduced a year-and-a-half ago to help address long standing noise complaints.

“The pick up points were discussed at meetings between the council and the trade on occasions as long ago as January 2014, well over a year before Uber applied for a licence,” he said.

“We are not aware of any complaints about the pick up points from the drivers, the public or GMB since and we continue to have regular meetings with drivers. It is important to note that these are merely pick up points, and not waiting areas.”

He added: “We continue to urge drivers not to take matters into their own hands.”

He said anyone with a concern about a licensed driver or vehicle should report it on 01904-551525.