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An advert which extolled the safety of London black cabs for travelling during the coronavirus pandemic was "misleading" and must not be re-aired, according to the advertising watchdog.

In July, a radio promotion from the Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association (LTDA) - which represents drivers of Hackney Carriages in the capital - said that sitting on the back seat would keep a passenger "over two metres" from the driver.

It went on to say that the permanent screen keeps the customer separated from the taxi operator like a "bubble".

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It featured a female voice saying: "The permanent screen keeps me divided from the driver, it's like being in my own bubble back here.

"Sat on the back seat, they're over two metres from me. And with contactless payments, it's even safer. I'm a black cab customer and I'm confident I'm safe."

However, the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) said the claims "exaggerated the extent to which features of a London black cab would reduce the spread of COVID-19''.

Its ruling stated: "The ASA considered consumers would understand from the ad that a passenger sat on the backseat of a London black cab could expect to be over two metres from the driver.

"We also considered that, in the context of the existing COVID-19 pandemic, the reference to being 'divided from the driver' and 'in my own bubble' would be understood as an indication that there would be complete separation from passenger and driver."

They found that in two of the three models of black cabs used, the passenger and driver would be two or more metres apart.

The watchdog added: "However, the third model showed that the distance was either two metres or less. We were therefore concerned that it was not always possible to sit 'over' two metres from the driver in the way the ad claimed."

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The ASA went on to say that the plastic barriers that divide the vehicles between front and back were not entirely sealed and so would not completely eliminate the risk of infection - and there was no requirement for drivers to seal the partition up.

"We acknowledged that the intention of the advertiser was to highlight particular features that were distinct to London black cabs and which might be particularly attractive to consumers in the context of COVID-19 and recognised that these features would have some protective benefits to passengers sitting in the back of a cab," it added.

"Because on some back seats in London black cabs, passengers would not be 'over' two metres from the driver or guaranteed to be completely separated from the driver, we therefore considered the ad exaggerated the extent to which features of a London black cab would reduce the spread of COVID-19 and was therefore misleading.

"The ad must not appear again in the form complained about."

Steve McNamara, the general secretary of the LTDA, told Sky News that the ruling was "yet another blow for black cab drivers".

He added: "Taxi drivers are doing everything they can to keep passengers as safe as possible and continue earning a living, at an extremely challenging time. In London, more than 3,500 taxis have been lost since June alone and drivers are struggling to keep their cabs on the road and feed their families.

"Purpose-built black cabs are without a doubt one of the safer ways to travel during this pandemic, particularly when compared to some other forms of public transport - with the partition, plenty of space and contactless payment. Drivers are also taking extra precautions such as cleaning and ventilating cabs between passengers and wearing face coverings, in line with the latest government guidance. We had no intention of misleading consumers."