Deal or No Deal star Noel Edmonds has been branded a ”selfish cheat” by Bristol City Council for driving an unlicensed taxi in the city’s bus lanes.
The TV legend, 61, bought a traditional black cab after repeatedly getting stuck in traffic jams on his way to filming the Channel 4 show.
He even installed a full-size mannequin – which he calls Candice – in the back seat after scores of people kept trying to jump in as he pulled up.
But councillor Gary Hopkins, who is in charge of Bristol transport, has now launched a scathing attack on Edmonds for believing he is ”above the law”.
He said: ”Nobody, not even a major film star, has the right to special treatment and Mr Edmonds is only a teatime game show host.
”That certainly does not give him the right to help himself to the city’s bus lanes and cheat his way past law-abiding drivers.
”If he finds that driving to work makes him late, perhaps he should consider parking his car at the park and ride and taking the bus himself.
”Or does he think his minor celebrity status makes him above the ordinary Bristolian as well as the law?
”Action Against Time Thieves is an interesting name for a campaign run by a man posing as a cab with a phoney license plate, who is obstructing ordinary Bristol bus users with his selfish behaviour.”
Noel splashed out on the taxi after getting fed up with traffic between his home in Bitton, Somerset, and the Deal or No Deal studios in Brislington, Bristol.
He added the message ”Action Against Time Thieves” to the cab’s pretend licence plate, in protest at the council’s inability to deal with congestion.
The number plate is the date he met third wife Liz, whom he married last year.
Noel has hit back at Bristol City Council’s attack on his taxi and accused it of ”squandering millions of pounds” on an ”insane traffic light regime”.
He said: ”We are living in a new age of governance where elected officials have to be accountable for how they spend public money and how they treat the
taxpayer.
”Is Bristol council immune to this new age of responsibility and austerity?
”Am I the only road user in Bristol who opposes the huge waste of money associated with the insane traffic light regime they have introduced?
”They have squandered millions of pounds on traffic lights. The result is greater pollution, increased journey times and therefore stress and reduced productivity.
