The majority of the 240 PTS drivers left the airport yesterday as BASTA drivers returned to the terminal.

Earlier this week a newsletter was issued by the Friends of the Hackney Carriage Drivers in Birmingham and Solihull naming all the BASTA drivers who had joined PTS and calling them “selfish scums”.

No one from the group has been available to comment.

BASTA chairman Irfaan Ahmed said the association was not responsible for the newsletter or the alleged incidents, which have not been confirmed by the police, and claims the High Court injunction was a “victory for the people”.

“We don’t do those kind of things, we like to go down legal channels,” he said.

“When the airport issued the tender they wanted us to have new cabs which was not economically viable.

“Never did they say if you don’t sign this contract it will be farmed out.

“The last contract (a five-year deal signed in 2004) took me eight months to sign and there was no problem.

“We want those drivers who moved out to come back to us and we can work together because at the end of the day they are our fellow man.

“We have set a precedent – we are small people who have taken them to court and won.

“It’s a victory for the people.”

Mike Gilbert, managing director of PTS, said he was pleased to have many of the BASTA drivers back.

He said: “Suddenly we’ve got a lot more drivers here.

“A lot of the guys have been wonderful – we don’t like the people who have caused trouble but the majority are good guys.”

An airport spokesperson said: “We understand BASTA applied for a High Court judicial review concerning the termination of its licence to provide the Hackney Carriage operation at the airport.

“An injunction has been served by the High Court to allow BASTA drivers to provide interim services at the airport and to maintain the status quo. The airport is receiving legal advice.”