A TAXI company is slapping customers with an extra 50p charge for going to a supermarket - because it claims speed humps are damaging cars. Asda in Blackwood has installed ramps and bollards in its car park to put a stop to boy racers in the evenings.

But Valley Cars is now charging customers an extra 50p for being dropped off or picked up at the store because it claims extra wear and tear on their vehicles.

Jonathan Price, desk operator for Valley Cars, said: "We are going to Asda so many times a day it is just wrecking the suspension.

"We've explained to the customers that if they want to complain about the extra 50p charge they need to ring or write to Asda.

"Anyway, people tend to ask to get off near the Red Lion pub and walk down to the store to avoid paying the extra charge.

Gary Wogan, events co-ordinator for Asda, defended the move. He said: "Boy racers were going up and down at speed performing handbrake turns so the company has invested a lot of money to protect the safety of our customers.

"This will stop them from racing up and down unless they want to pay for a new suspension every time they do it.

"It has put a lot of people off from shopping here. I know it is a bit of a nuisance for motorists but the car park is a lot safer now."

Mr Wogan added: "The people living in the flats nearby are really impressed by what we have done because the boy racers were very noisy."

Blackwood councillor Kevin Etheridge said he was pleased Asda had taken the measures.

But he added: "I'm very concerned if taxi firms are charging extra for customers going to the store. That doesn't seem very reasonable at all." Disabled Jean Taylor, 59, of Cefn Road, Blackwood, has used taxis daily since she lost her right leg through a bloodclot in April of this year.

She said: "Fair enough if the taxi firms were honest and said we have had to put up our fares because of rising diesel prices but to put the blame on the ramp and speed bumps is not fair."