A judge will deliver a ruling later in a row over Newport council’s decision to impose age limits on taxis.
From next year, Hackney cabs must be less than 12 years old, and private hire vehicles less than eight.
Newport will host golf’s Ryder Cup next year and the council has changed the rules as it is worried about safety, CO2 emissions and taxis’ appearance.
But Newport Hackney Drivers Association says the move would put many of its members out of business.
The association claims 59 of the current 135 Hackney drivers in the city would be put out of business by the rule change.
It says Newport would be the first council in Wales to place an age limit on purpose-built hackney cabs.
"I can understand why the council is trying to give the city a good image"
Lionel Morris, Newport Hackney Drivers Association
Back in March a demonstration was staged in the city centre over the planned changes.
Association chairman Lionel Morris said they had to fight the decision. He said it costs about £20,000 to buy a three-year-old cab and, with the recession, many members could not afford that.
Outside the hearing Mr Morris said he could not afford to buy a new cab himself.
"But to be honest with you, you don’t put image first in front of 230 hackney drivers’ livelihood.
"If at least 60% of our drivers are going to lose their jobs because of this imposing of age limit, purely because of the Ryder Cup, then that’s not a sensible thing for the council to do."
The city’s taxis are already subject to a strict regime of testing every six months and can face random inspections as well.
Ageing fleet
The judicial review was heard at the High Court in Cardiff last Friday.
Ruth Stockley for Newport council told the hearing that safety was a priority, and it is a reasonable assumption that as a vehicle gets older it will need more maintenance to keep it in a safe condition.
The council is also concerned that its fleet of taxis is ageing and that this could pose problems.
The judge Mr Justice Beatson decided to reserve his judgement for a week.
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