A taxi company has come up with a new way to save the trade after a massive drop in custom due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Southside Cars based in Clifton said they are "a lifeline" for elderly people but many were fearful to ride in their cars when the infection started to spread across Nottinghamshire.
Trade fell by around 70 percent and the company also lost around 50 percent of its fleet as drivers were self-isolating or afraid to drive their own cabs.
But with restrictions being lifted, the taxi company has placed plastic screens between the driver and the customer in 30 vehicles to protect both from infection.
Firm bosses are also educating their driving squad to wipe down seat belts and door handles to ensure customers are safe to ride in their cabs.
Brent Foster, 32, one of the directors of the Clifton company, told Nottinghamshire Live: "I think there was a worry.
"If people were not going out they were not going to get cab journeys.
"A lot of elderly people get taxis and they were self-isolating.
"We are elderly people's lifeline but they were afraid to travel outdoors.
"The schools being closed and the party goers and young people had a massive impact.
"We went down by 50 percent of the fleet."
But he hopes the new measures will bring people back to the taxi trade as retail shops are set to open from June 15.
"We are using a screen, it is a flexible plastic, it can't be ripped and it can be wiped down," he added.
"We have equipped drivers with medical wipes to kill bacteria.
"It is a guard to protect the driver and the customers. We care about our drivers. We are like a big family.
"We are the first to trial out these screens. It is about staying current and taking action and making sure people feel safe. There is a lot of uncertainty."
Michal Tomczyk, 39, who is one of the drivers testing the screen, said: "I think it is amazing. It feels safer. We keep the car clean and are more strict about everything.
"People might be less afraid now to ring a taxi."
