Hundreds of cabbies are expected to lobby a Medway Council meeting this week in a protest over taxi drivers from Tonbridge and Malling stealing their business by working in the Towns.

Medway Labour group has met representatives from the Medway Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association to discuss increased concerns over rival operators plying their trade.

Deputy leader Cllr Teresa Murray said issues raised also a poor service for customers and the safety of passengers.

Labour councillors will put forward a motion on the issue at the full council meeting on Thursday.

Hackney carriages in Medway are white with a top sign while private hire vehicles are red with a chequered side.

Mike Smith, MLTDA chairman, fears that tempers could flare over the “flagrant encroachment” onto Medway’s patch.

He said : “Some of our guys are driving around and all of a sudden they see two or three parked up with their lights on. I’m surprised we haven’t had a bit of GBH. The drivers are getting really wound up about it.”

About 700 taxi drivers,including private hire and school-run only, are licensed by Medway Council.

A spokesman for Tonbridge and Malling Council has confirmed its licensing team have recently been made aware of “a few Hackney Carriage drivers receiving bookings for pre-booked journeys through a Medway private hire operator - but also reiterated the law - that pre-booked Hackney carriages can accept bookings for journeys beginning and ending outside the district in which the vehicle is licensed.

Mr Smith described it as a “grey area” and his association was helping to work on a new licensing policy.

Mr Smith said they planned a peaceful demonstration at the St George‘s Centre in Chatham from 6pm.