TAXIS are not the toy-things of the idle rich, as the council seems to believe, but are relied upon by very many people for help to live a normal life.

I have no access to a bus, I no longer drive at night or icy roads.

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In my 80s and with arthritic knees, I rely on taxis for two-way drives to functions or appointments in the city, and for their help in getting the weekly shopping to my front door.

Am I expected to be a recluse?

That taxi numbers have greatly reduced has been obvious ever since the early-Autumn fuel-shortages.

Now the council ensures further reduction by its absurdly "woke" proposals.

Nobody looks after their car better than a taxi-driver: it is their livelihood! Forcing early replacement of perfectly serviceable vehicles is a form of pollution; a commitment that the eventual replacement will be as green as possible should surely be acceptable.

The ridiculous requirement that Herefordshire drivers must now pass a Knowledge Test, for which it is admitted the pass-rate is only 20%, (akin to that of London cabbies, who can need 10 years of study to pass theirs), can only cause a further 80% reduction in the city's taxi fleet.

The purpose of the test, apart from civic boasting, could surely be met by SatNav.

The days when the city's only taxi-rank, in St.Peter's Square, had cabs queuing for hire, are long gone, probably never to return.

The council's job is to serve the electorate, not play about with trendy ideas.

Carola Morton

Hereford

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