CABBIE Alan Hosker is seeing red over a Burnley Council decision that Hackney Carriages in the town can be any colour . . . so long as they are black.

Mr Hosker, 39, of Padiham was recently granted his Hackney Carriage licence in Burnley but has been told he cannot use his £20,000 cab because it is the wrong colour, red and black.

He was due to go to court today asking magistrates at Reedley to overrule the council's decision.

He said: "I use the cab in Accrington without any problem but I want to work in my home town of Padiham.

"In Accrington cabs can be any colour, in Blackburn, Ribble Valley, Manchester or London they can be any colour.

"So why should things be different in Burnley?''

Mr Hosker runs a minibus service in Padiham and his red cab in Accrington.

He said: "People in Padiham asked why I could not operate in my own town. I got a petition together and in January was granted my licence after the council got independent people in to carry out a survey which recommended that another 18 licences should be allowed.

"The cab, which is only 18-months old and specially equipped for the elderly, got through its test with flying colours.

"But then the council told me I couldn't use it because it was the wrong colour.''

Mr Hosker said he had estimates that it would cost £2,800 for a respray which would also reduce the value of the distinctive Hackney cab.

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