A CONTROVERSIAL move to ban vehicles from a busy Southampton road has sparked outrage among taxi drivers.

A hotspot for booze-fuelled chaos, Above Bar in the city centre will be closed to cars, buses and taxis between 10pm and 4am on Fridays and Saturdays for a trial period of three months.

Furious taxi drivers say this will cost them money and claim they were not properly consulted about the ban, which starts tonight.

Barriers are being put up closing Above Bar from its junction with Civic Centre Road to Commercial Road.

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Many had no idea they had been barred from the packed street of bars and clubs until they read about it in the Daily Echo.

Union boss and taxidriver Perry McMillan said: “Of course we are all for public safety but not to bother consulting us is a real slap in the face – I mean it’s common courtesy.

“I don’t see that this will stop violent disorder, it just seems to me they have given drunk troublemakers a bigger boxing ring.”

He went on to say journeys will take longer and some people may opt to come in by car if taxis can no longer pick them up or drop them off right outside their destinations.

The traffic ban is one of many initiatives introduced by the Safe City Partnership to reduce crime in the city centre.

The partnership is made up of the city council, police and other public bodies.

Councillor Royston Smith said the group had extensively consulted with the bus companies but had not felt the need to do so with taxi firms as ranks wouldn’t be affected.

He said: “This is a blooming good idea to improve public safety and if a few taxi drivers are slightly inconvenienced I’m still happy with it.”