PLANS to make the multi-coloured fleet of private hire taxis in Newport all white are being slammed by drivers, who fear it could see them thousands of pounds out of pocket.

The council wants to ensure that by April 2007 the city's 245 vehicles are all white, so that they can be more easily recognised by passengers. But at about £700 for a respray, drivers say the council's plans will hit their wallets, and that the idea may not work anyway.

The council wants to make sure the public can distinguish between hackney cabs, which can 'tout' for business on the street, and private hires, which have to be booked.

It is also concerned about the growing number of illegal unlicensed 'taxis', uninsured vehicles, which it says can endanger the public.

Tom Lavender, a partner at Dragon Taxis, said: "It would cost hundreds of drivers hundreds of pounds. Many of our drivers pay £700 for a respray. "It's a cost the council are only too willing to pass on to us.

"Would they make this decision if they were paying? We've had talks with the council, but I get the impression they aren't really listening to us."

Mr Lavender, who has about 75 private hire drivers on his fleet, said the all-white rule might reassure passengers they were using a bona fide vehicle.

But he also said having an all-white rule may lead visitors to Newport into thinking they were using hackney cabs.

He added: "That would defeat the point of the rule. Anyway, the public doesn't give a damn whether a taxi is private hire or hackney. They just want to get home."

The council's licensing committee agreed yesterday to support the proposals, and will now consult all 16 private hire companies before making a final decision.

Chairman Councillor Fred Sweeting said: "Having them all white would make them absolutely identifiable."

But Councillor John Marsh said: "I was recently next to a deep-blue private hire taxi in perfect condition.

"Are we going to tell that driver to take it off the road because it's the wrong colour?"

The committee also wants to put large door stickers on all private hires by April 2004.

Newport council caused uproar among drivers in 2001 when it decided all hackney carriages had to be black and of a special 'cab style' vehicle.