CRISIS talks between High Wycombe's cabbies and police have been scheduled for next week in a bid to prevent further strike action.

Strained relations between police and taxi drivers came to a head after the arrests of two taxi drivers on June 3, prompting a six-hour protest strike among major town centre firms.

The arrests triggered a flood of accusations from cabbies that police do not give them enough support when they are dealing with threatening and abusive customers.

High Wycombe's Race Equality Council (REC) hopes to ease relations between the two parties by "facilitating" discussions at next week's meeting.

Zia Ullah, of the REC, said: "It's enough to cripple the town and it's bad for businesses. We must look for ways forward."

Drivers from the town's main companies stopped work between 11pm and 6am on Friday, June 3, after news circulated of colleagues being arrested for threatening and abusive behaviour.

Ghulam Rasool, who represents the town's Hackney Carriage drivers, said he wanted to apologise to people who had been left stranded, but said he believed a lack of support from police had complicated the issue.

He said: "If nothing happens from police we shall go on strike again in the whole of the Wycombe area."

These sentiments were echoed by drivers across the town, who claim they are not getting the protection they deserve from unruly passengers.

Abrar Hussein, manager of Neale's taxis, added: "If the police carry on like this there are going to be more strikes."

A spokesman for Wycombe District Council said that police, taxi drivers and council officers, who awards taxi licences, met once every three months to discuss concerns.

A Thames Valley Police spokesman said: "We do take complaints about our service seriously and do have a proper process for dealing with them.

"We continue to liaise and work in conjunction with Wycombe District Council and in particular their licensing department, Wycombe Race Equality Council and representatives of taxi companies to ensure relations between parties remain good."

Police confirmed that a 33-year-old man was arrested on June 3 on suspicion of theft and has been bailed for further investigation until July 2.

A second man was arrested for threatening and abusive behaviour during a routine stop and search in Queen Victoria Road, High Wycombe. He received a caution, and was later released.