Peter Tyson, treasurer of the Preston Hackney Carriage Association, believes turning one of the night ranks into a 24-hour operation could prevent Preston city centre being flooded with cabs.

Such a step could see one of the ranks on Market Street, by the city's historic covered markets, or on Friargate, near UCLan, switch from being night-time only.

Mr Tyson said he has been calling for a new rank in the city for 30 years and believes the current row could highlight the issue.

Preston cabbies staged a go-slow protest on Tuesday morning in a row over plans by Virgin Trains to limit the rank at the train station to just 12 taxis, despite selling 108 annual permits for nearly £300 each.

Mr Tyson said: "If this scheme goes ahead I think it will reflect how poorly managed the system has been over the years.

"It will bring a lot of the things I have been saying home to roost for the council.

"We are all hoping it does not happen because the alternative options for Preston are catastrophic."

The other daytime ranks are on Tithebarn Street near the bus station and Lancaster Road/Church Street.

A spokesman for Preston Council said it was looking at making extra provisions at the train station, but not at opening new ranks in the city.

She said: "Talks are ongoing with regard to providing a feeder rank for the railway station."

Yesterday, Virgin said it hopes to arrange a meeting with drivers in the next week to 10 days, but warned it has no intention of changing its plans for the station.

Drivers have threatened to hold a second protest involving 90 cabs on Monday, unless they receive a positive response from Virgin.

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