Taxis fitted with screens to protect drivers and passengers from the transmission of coronavirus could be a safety risk in themselves, a cab licensing chief has warned.

MOT inspectors have been advised to consider telling drivers to remove the screens if they believe the protective equipment would result in an MOT fail.

In an email, seen by the BBC Local Democracy Reporting Service, Denbighshire council’s senior fleets and asset manager David G Davies said a vehicle presented at its workshops in Bodelwyddan had screens fitted to guard against Covid-19 transmission that restricted the movement of driver and passenger seats.

He attached a picture of the modified vehicle and said in his opinion it was an MOT failure, before saying examiners should decide whether vehicles fitted with similar screens would fail a test.

He goes on to suggest giving those presenting the vehicle the option to “remove the screen prior to the MOT test being carried out so you can then ‘Test As Presented’”.

Denbighshire council said it hadn’t endorsed any screens to protect drivers against coronavirus and was “drafting a policy around this issue”.

The spokesman added taxi firms would need confirmation screens complied with insurance conditions.

A Denbighshire council spokesman said: “The Council is currently working with interested parties and organisations on drafting a policy around this issue.

“Where an operator has assessed the risk and decided to install a protective screen, they must also seek confirmation from their own insurance company that the fitting does not invalidate their insurance.

“This must be given in writing to the Council as the licensing authority.

“Where issues of concern are highlighted we will confirm the validity of the screen use with the operator and their insurance provider.”