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A call to allow private hire taxis in Blackpool to display advertising has been thrown out by the council which was told cab companies did not support the move.

It was feared it could lead to some rogue private hire drivers taking illegal fares.

Coun Tony Williams, leader of the Conservative opposition group, had put forward a notice of motion asking the council to consider the measure to boost revenue for drivers.

But the motion was lost by one vote after the Labour group voted against it.

Only hackney cabs in Blackpool are allowed advertising

Currently only hackney cabs, which are mainly the black 'bomber' taxis and which can be hailed down on the street, are allowed to display adverts.

Private hire taxis, which must be pre-booked cannot display adverts.

Bill Lewtas, secretary of the Blackpool Licensed Taxi Operators Association, said the council's decision had been "the right one."

Taxi operators had been opposed to the proposed changes because it would have made distinguishing between the two different types of taxis more difficult for members of the public.

Mr Lewtas said: "Private hire vehicles are by law not allowed to look like taxis, not allowed to put the word taxi on the vehicle and not allowed a roof sign.

"If this had been allowed private hire vehicles would have looked even more like taxis. In Blackpool it is already difficult for people to recognise the difference.

"This is important because journeys in private hire vehicles which haven’t been pre-booked are uninsured.

"Allowing advertising on private hire vehicles would start to erode the safety reasons and put the public at risk, due to a small minority of unscrupulous private hire drivers plying for hire and taking illegal fares."

Coun Williams had argued drivers were facing financial challenges including rising fuel costs.

He said in his motion that to enable more drivers to "increase their revenue streams and promote local and regional business the council should permit advertising on both hackney carriage and private hire vehicles with an agreed type of content."

Coun Adrian Hutton, chairman of the licensing committee, said the council had already helped drivers boost their income by agreeing a set of fare supplements.

He said: "It gave them extra revenue but protects residents and visitors from being charged too much in the future."

Taxi advertising would confuse the public say Blackpool cab chiefs