A convoy of about 100 black cabs wound its way slowly along Broadway as drivers went on strike to highlight their plight.

Many of the cabs involved were plastered with protest posters.

Taxi drivers claim that Peterborough City Council is not providing extra taxi ranks to cope with the increasing number of drivers, and many are forced to park outside the allocated zones.

They also complain that there are just 40 spaces around the city centre to accommodate 200 cabs.

City councillors say the local authority is listening to the taxi drivers' demands, and that extra space, including a new rank, will be made available in the coming weeks.

Drivers want a new rank to be built close to Fitzwilliam Street and Park Road. Some drivers even said the council was getting more money from them by issuing parking tickets to vehicles which were just outside regulated zones.

Tabassum Hussain, who has been a black cab driver in Peterborough for more than 20 years, said: "We have to come to a conclusion fast.

"The council is not listening to us. It promised an extra taxi rank and it still hasn't been made available."

Shamrez Khan, who works for Station Taxis, added: "We wanted to strike and protest to demonstrate just what will happen when there are no taxis available, and the congestion it causes because the council is giving out too many licences for the city centre."

Passer-by William Rutherford, of Park Road, Peterborough, said: "The taxis are blocking up the road near the library during the day. It is causing a problem. Having said that, I support what the drivers are doing here today, but it shows that there are far too many taxis here in Peterborough."

The strike was called off after one hour following a brief on-the-spot negotiation with the council's cabinet member for the environment, councillor Wayne Fitzgerald.

Today, Cllr Fitzgerald said he was looking into freeing up nine extra spaces opposite the Broadway Theatre to be used for taxi parking.

He added: "I am listening to what the taxi drivers are saying, and I can assure them it is a priority. We are in the process of making the rank in Fitzwilliam Street available."

Cllr Darren Fower, who represents the Liberal Democrats, said the protest was a clear indication that something needed to be done.

Cllr Fower said: "It appears that the city council has given out far too many licences.

"As we have seen today, it is a danger when so many taxis are on the road at the same time and everyone gets frustrated.

"The drivers pay their taxes and work hard. their living doesn't come cheap. More work needs to done with the taxi drivers as a whole. The views of many drivers go unheard," Cllr Fower said.