A protracted battle over whether all Aberdeen taxis should be made wheelchair-accessible will come to a head next week.
Councillors will meet on Wednesday, May 11 to decide on the policy, which was first agreed by members in 1994.
However, no fixed date was ever set for implementation and the city has continued to operate with a “mixed fleet”.
Yet, following a meeting in 2012, councillors voted for a deadline of 2017 to be set to resolve the issue.
The trade union UNITE and concerned cabbies have opposed the plans, fearing their members may be forced to shell out tens of thousands of pounds on specially-fitted cars.
The union has claimed there is already sufficient provision in the Granite City, with more than 500 vehicles equipped for wheelchair users.
But council chiefs have warned they would not be meeting their “equality commitments” if they did not implement the national policy and could face court action.
A report to councillors reads: “The aim of the policy is to ensure there is proper provision of taxis and private hire cars to enable persons with a range of disabilities to access these services, whether on the street, at a taxi rank or by pre-booking.
“The aim of the policy is to eliminate discrimination and remove or minimise disadvantage experienced by persons with disabilities in accessing taxi services.
“It contributes to the public sector equality duty by promoting equality of access to taxi and private hire car services for persons with and without protected characteristics.”
It’s projected that no money would be saved by implementing the policy.
A motion by SNP councillor Michael Hutchison at the last meeting of the licensing committee was approved, moving the debate to Wednesday’s full council meeting.
He also called for a study into the way the Dundee taxi trade operates to see if any lessons can be learned in the Granite City.
Last night, he said: “It’s an important decision that will affect many people across the city, so it’s only right that every councillor gets their say.
“I would urge anyone with a view to contact their councillor and let it be known.”
