Dundee Private Hire boss David Young also announced today that the company plans to bring their fleet up to 250 vehicles by next year, a move that will further inflame the current feeling of outrage among the city’s yellow-plate (non private) taxi fraternity.

Taxi drivers throughout the city are furious with what they see as a flouting of the council’s private hire policy and have already threatened strike action over the granting of 71 yellow plate licences to the company recently.

Mr Young accepted the cars today from Norman Fairweather at their premises on Kingsway East.

He said, “We wanted to keep the business in Dundee, our insurance is in Dundee, our maintenance is in Dundee and being a very proud Dundee company I’m very pleased we’ve been able to do that.

“Norman was one of our great supporters when Peter Marr and myself ran St Joseph’s Junior Football Club so I was glad to be able to keep it all with him.

“He supplied our first stock of 70 cars and we’re very pleased with the deal.”

Norman Fairweather added, “This is the single biggest order ever placed between a local company and a local dealer. The first 70 cars were handed over at the start of this year and this is the second part of the deal, which amounts to just under £2 million including the servicing contract.”

The expansion of the 203020 fleet has prompted anger among the taxi trade, who have threatened a programme of possible strike action and roadblocking the city’s streets. The council has since agreed to hear the concerns of the Dundee Taxi Association at the next licensing liaison forum.

Dundee Private Hire meanwhile is also planning to expand its base with a move to new premises at the former Bowbridge Works site.

A planning application has been lodged with the city council to convert the derelict Unit 36 into a taxi office.