Taxi drivers in Chippenham fear the town will become awash with trouble on Friday and Saturday nights following a Wiltshire Council decision to scrap taxi marshals.

The marshals are employed over the busiest hours on weekends to patrol the taxi rank in New Road, and drivers are worried their safety will be compromised without them.

Vivienne Heap, owner of Viv’s Taxis, said: “We really need them. Since we have had them it has been fantastic – no shop windows have gone and there is no fighting in the queues.

“It is quite worrying as a woman taxi driver because we will no longer have the marshals as back-up.”

A council working group set up in September to review the affect the marshals have had on late night violence and alcohol-related anti social behaviour in the town centre over the past two years found the impact had been limited and recommended the project should end.

Councillors at an area board meeting in January voted against the recommendation, and called on Wiltshire Council to look into funding for the scheme to continue at least on Saturday nights, but drivers have now been told there is no money available.

Kerry Bird, owner of SFB Cabs, said: “At the meeting the councillors said Chippenham is quiet and it is at 9.30pm, but after 1am it is a different ball game.

“It is the luck of the draw who you get in the back of your taxi. Most people are fine, but there are the odd one or two who think they are funny. When they see the marshals in their yellow jackets they get a bit wary, thinking they are the police, and they start to behave.

“Just Saturday night I had to flash my headlights at them to take three people out of my car because they were causing trouble.”

Manager of Subway Chris Cook also wants to retain the marshals. He said: “For my night staff they are a big asset.When it is raining people use our shop as a hideaway until a taxi is available.

“The marshals try to help manage that, as well as keep the peace. Without them I can see there being various situations where things kick off outside the store.”

A Wiltshire Council spokesman said it recognised the scheme was important and acted as a reassurance but said the council’s limited funding was being allocated to higher priority work.

The spokesman added: “However we are hopeful that by working with our partners and local businesses we will be able to secure the funding required to resume a Saturday service soon.”