TAXI drivers have welcomed a move to allow garages to bid for the right to carry out the twice-yearly testing of cabs.

For two-and-a-half years, hackney and private-hire drivers have been calling for Bolton Council to end its monopoly on the tests, which they say are too expensive and prone to delays.

They had accused the council's testing station, at Wellington Yard, of being inconsistent and over-zealous and, at one point, up to 200 cabbies threatened to strike over the issue.

But they have now been told new testing contracts for will be put out to tender in June and the new system will begin in September.

Charles Oakes, of Bolton and Bury Hackney Association, along with Sajid Khan and Mustak Bhuta, of Bolton Private Hire Association, praised Bolton Council for honouring a pledge to open up the system.

Mr Khan said the change would allow drivers to book a test over the phone rather than enduring long waits.

"In off-peak times we have to wait nearly two weeks for a test at the moment, but when it's busy we can wait up to a month," he said.

The cabbies are hopeful competition will lead to cheaper test fees.