Drivers' grievances include the lack of taxi rank spaces

The strike action will coincide with one of the busiest nights of the year for the city's pubs, with thousands of Scotland fans expected on the streets.

Drivers have complained about the large number of licence plates being issued and a shortage of taxi rank spaces.

Dundee City Council called on the drivers to restart negotiations.

Lord provost John Letford, convenor of the local authority's licensing committee, said: "I would hope that some of them would come to their senses and get round the table.

"Let's sit down and talk about it.

"We will do what we have to do in the interests of the people of the city.

"There will be movements that we can make - but we'll never know until they talk to us."

Trying to get our staff home at one o'clock in the morning is going to be a problem Blair Morrison Publican

The threatened strike action creates a major problem for football fans and other people making their way home from the city centre on Saturday night.

Dundee publican Blair Morrison said: "People will have to leave early or walk up the road.

"Trying to get our staff home at one o'clock in the morning is going to be a problem."

The dispute has been ongoing since September, when members of the Unite union held a mass meeting and voted to take industrial action as a last resort.

The have called for a cap on the number of taxi plates in the city and the provision of more rank spaces.

Graeme Stephen has been a taxi driver in the city for more than 20 years.

He said: "The amount of taxis on this rank is ridiculous.

"We're sitting on the ranks for half and hour, sometimes three quarters of an hour during the day and we get one job then have to come all the way back again.