A controversial ruling to suspend taxi drivers with nine penalty points has been tweaked.

Kirklees councillors have now ruled that taxi drivers with nine points will no longer face suspension, but must sit and pass an in-house driving test or lose their taxi badge.

It’s a compromise on a decision made at October’s Licensing and Safety Committee which backed immediate suspension for taxi drivers with nine points until they took an external driving standards agency (DSA) test.

After an Examiner report on the issue taxi drivers said suspension would leave them with no income while they waited up to six weeks for a DSA test.

Hundreds of taxi drivers attended a later council meeting and the committee was asked to look again at the issue in light of concerns raised about the suspension and lack of consultation, with many taxi drivers unaware until the Examiner report.

Here are some pictures from the protest over the proposed new licensing rules

Catherine Walter, of licensing, outlined various means of consultation, but she did agree there were concerns about a six-week wait for a DSA test.

As a result, Kirklees Council’s officers will develop an internal test to make the process quicker.

Clr Steve Hall, who moved the idea, said: “I’ve considered this a lot since and talked to a lot of people... I think the in-house test without suspension is the way forward. If they fail the test then something is wrong and they shouldn’t be on the road.”

It was seconded by Clr Mohan Sokhal and amended by Clr Bill Armer who asked that if a taxi driver fails the test they lose their badge.

But not everyone agreed, Clr Derek Hardcastle said: “It seems to me that there isn’t really a penalty for amassing nine points. This showed the public that we see safety as paramount importance.”

He asked for the test to be a requirement when a taxi driver gets six points and was seconded by Clr Hilary Richards, but the vote was lost 12-two.

Clr Erin Hill said the focus should be service-led and they were not a punitive body, adding: “We are here to keep a public service running, I did raise concerns last time about the length of wait for a test so this is a solution.”

Clr Jim Dodds said the previous ruling prompted support, but added: “I think this is the best way forward for the public and taxi drivers.”

A number of taxi drivers made representations and Neil Cole, of the GMB union, summed up: “Public safety is a huge priority for absolutely everyone, none more so than professional drivers.

“It is a common misconception that people suspended are on full pay, that isn’t the case for taxi drivers... they will struggle to make ends meet.”

Councillors were unanimous in voting through the in-house test without suspension for those with nine points.

At the start of Wednesday’s meeting it was announced that Clr Mumtaz Hussain, Licensing chair, had informed the chief executive that he was resigning as its chairman. Clr David Ridgway was voted temporary chair for the meeting while a permanent chair is yet to be appointed.