A CLAMPDOWN on taxi drivers who ‘cherry pick’ fares, which can leave some people in danger at night, has been launched.

Gwynedd Council is putting the brakes on the minority of taxi drivers who select passengers in order to try and land bigger fares

According to a statement the council says with the number of people out and about during the festive season, it is important that everyone has access to a reliable taxi service to get them home safely.

The "unacceptable practice" of "cherry picking" usually happens late at night and into the early morning, and is on the rise.

It is illegal for taxi drivers to refuse to take people who want to take short journeys in the hope that the next customer will require a longer journey.

According to the council, the practice can leave some people, especially women by themselves, in a vulnerable and dangerous situation.

The council points out that if the taxi light is on, a driver is not allowed by law to refuse service, even if the customer is only going on a short journey.

Councillor Dafydd Meurig, Gwynedd Council’s cabinet member for the environment, said: “It’s important to emphasise that the vast majority of taxi drivers in Gwynedd, act in an honourable way and follow the rules, but there are a small number who ignore the rules in the hope of landing a bigger fare.

“Taxi drivers who ‘cherry-pick’ passengers in an attempt to land bigger fares face having their licences revoked.

"That’s the message we as a Council are sending out having received numerous complaints from members of the public who are being refused short journeys in some areas of the county.

“Only a minority of taxi drivers in Gwynedd ‘cherry pick’ customers, giving the taxi industry a bad name. This illegal practice not only endangers the safety of customers but also undermines the efforts of private hire and taxi drivers who work hard and operate within the law to deliver a high-quality service in Gwynedd.”

Anyone refused on a short journey is advised to take a photo of the registration plate or the licence plate, the location and time and send it to licensing@gwynedd.cymru.llyw or call 01766 771 000.