THERE could be twice as many taxis on the streets of Swindon if councillors go ahead with plans.

A Swindon Council committee meeting tonight will decide whether to stop limiting the numbers of black cabs in the town.

And with 139 people on the waiting list for a hackney carriage licence, numbers could rise dramatically.

Local authorities are currently allowed to restrict the number of licences if they are satisfied there is no significant unmet demand for hackney carriages.

Swindon restricts the number to 138 but the Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Sub-Committee will tonight consider removing that limit from October 1 as the Government is strongly encouraging all local authorities with restrictions to remove them as soon as possible.

The Transport and General Workers' Union has objected to the plan to remove the limit and argues that in Sheffield a 50 per cent increase in taxi numbers only reduced waiting times by 15 seconds.

The union also suggests the move could increase waiting times for telephone cab bookings as private hire drivers leave to become hackney carriage drivers.

But the council's director of environment and property says there is no sustainable argument to keep the restriction.

The committee meets at 5.15pm at the Civic Offices, Euclid Street.