TAXI drivers in Redbridge say passengers would be the biggest losers if they are forced to work restricted hours under new proposals.

Cabbies in the borough - which has one of the largest communities of Hackney carriage licence holders in London - have rejected calls for them to abide by the EU's drivers time directive, which would restrict their working hours to 48 a week.

Drivers claim the idea - which was put forward by road safety charity, Brake - would simply burden them with unnecessary red tape and leave Londoner's without any access to black cabs during off-peak hours.

The plan comes as cabbies already face a drop in trade caused by the recession and increasing costs from traffic enforcement fines imposed by inner London councils.

Cabbie Mark Thurbin, of Marlborough Road, Clayhall, said: "I understand what Brake is trying to do, but it just seems that black cab drivers are being unfairly targeted here.

"Black cab drivers are professional and careful but it us who get penalised because we're the ones who are fully licenced.

"We all take regular breaks as it is. This proposal would just mean that there wouldn't be any black cabs about at off peak times, and too many at peak hours.

"This is no good for us or for passengers.

"If they want to improve safety why don't they make more effort to target illegal mini cab drivers?"

Fellow cabbie, Colin Salmon, of Brunswick Gardens, Clayhall, said the move would rob taxi drivers of the freedom they need to do their job.

He said: "Most of us go into this game because we love the freedom and the liberty of it.

"None of us work by time. You work for as long as you need to make the money you need.

"We all take regular breaks already when we need them.

"All this will do will be to annoy cab drivers and annoy passengers because they can't get a cab."

A Department for Transport spokesman said it had decided against regulating self-employed taxi drivers' hours in the past, but would consider any new proposals or evidence presented to it on the issue.

Brake has yet to comment.