Nearly 60 cabbies have signed a petition opposing a Corby Council move they say provides an excuse for drivers to be suspended.

The Sky Cabs Association, which represents drivers in the town, said the authority should be helping the industry through the recession as opposed to introducing a "petty" penalty points system.

Members of the One Corby Policy Committee are being recommended to approve the controversial system at their meeting tonight.

A list of 30 offences for which points would be given include "unsatisfactory behaviour or conduct" including "wearing football tops", obstructing a council officer and unreasonably prolonging a journey.

A spokesman for Sky Cabs said: "We are of the understanding that if a council governs the taxi trade, there must be at least some obligation to ensure that all participants within the trade are earning a living at least above the minimum wage.

"Instead, we are hit with a list of rule enforcements that we as customers of the council are not prepared to accept under this current climate.

"The proposal appears vague and to a certain degree unprofessional, raising concerns with the way they intend to deal with our trade during these uncertain times.

"We haven't received any notification about tonight's meeting.

"The taxi officer is given complete autonomy through these rules."

Taxi driver Kevin Donelan said: "Many of the rules come under existing legislation anyway. Not having a driving licence, for instance, is the law of the land. This is completely unnecessary."

If approved, the system would mean that cabbies being issued with more than 12 penalty points could be suspended after consideration from the authority's licensing panel.

Health protection manager for Corby Council, Damian Wilkins, said: "While the majority of licence holders abide by the rules, there is a small number of drivers that consistently do not.

"Officers' time is regularly unnecessarily spent chasing up drivers who do not produce required information on time and who contravene council conditions, for example, not wearing badges.

"The primary objective is to improve the levels of compliance within the hire vehicle trade which would subsequently help improve the standards, safety and protection for the travelling public."