Neil Charnock, a cabbie with 23 years of experience, is urging the council to support a national campaign led by GM Mayor Andy Burnham to close a legislative loophole that allows the practice.

The county has lost around 200 drivers - a 10% drop - with numbers falling from 1,050 in April 2020 to fewer than 850 in July 2025.

The incident took place on Saturday, September 6, between 9:30pm and 9:40pm outside the Tomahawk restaurant on Lendal.

The approved changes will see the standard rate, Tariff 1, rise from £2.50 to £3 per mile, while Tariff 3, used during peak times, will increase from £3.75 to £4.50 per mile.

Yasar Rehman Butt, 48, admitted to the charge of "being a PHV operator who failed to accept a booking by a disabled person accompanied by an assistance dog."

The council, alongside Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and the nine other Greater Manchester licensing authorities, is urging for an end to the practice.

The drivers gathered outside the town’s Taxi Licensing Office opposing a rule that will require all Daventry taxis to be wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) by January 1, 2026.

The council plans to have the system in place by November 10, with cameras and signs to be installed and the back-office systems finalised.