Birmingham City Council decided to close Broad Street off to all traffic except buses on Friday and Saturday nights.

The move is aimed at improving safety, but taxi drivers are angry that buses are still allowed to travel through the busy area.

Taxi drivers claim it will ruin trade and are calling on the council to change its decision.

This scheme is primarily for safety and the safety of people in Broad Street and a lot of the traffic along Broad Street is people cruising Councillor Stewart Stacey

The secretary of the Birmingham and Solihull Taxi Drivers Association, Mike Shingler, says the move calls into question Birmingham's image as a forward thinking city.

"If this is supposed to be a sophisticated city it follows in the wake of other cities that are already pedestrianised," he said.

"We're very worried about people getting in and out of the town centre."

Phil Bateman, from Travel West Midlands, said the new scheme had produced a big improvement in bus services.

The traffic ban started at the weekend and runs from 2100 GMT to 0400 GMT.

Councillor Stewart Stacey, cabinet member for transportation, said buses were needed on Broad Street whereas taxis could operate successfully from nearby.

"This scheme is primarily for safety and the safety of people in Broad Street and a lot of the traffic along Broad Street is people cruising," he said.