YOUR correspondent R Conway (Letters, May 22) obviously does not know much about taxis.

They need to use bus lanes to get from A to B as quickly as possible to carry more passengers.

It also seems that the writer thinks taxi drivers make a lot of money. Let me put him straight on that one, too.

First there is my taxi insurance. After 39 years of driving without any convictions and just one accident with no injury, I pay £1,450 a year. Many others pay up to £5,000.

Add to that my road tax, a base fee of up to £90 per week, vehicle tests twice a year at fees approaching £280 and things like accountants fees, fuel and general running costs.

On the other hand, most jobs average £2.50, so surely even R Conway can work out that even if a taxi driver gets four jobs an hour every hour it is not an enriched living.

I would lay bets R Conway works for (sorry, is employed by) the City Council or Lancaster University where he gets sick pay and holiday pay, which taxi drivers don't, plus a handsome state pension. For us, if the wheels ain't turning, we ain't earning.

Would R Conway like to get out of his bed at midnight to help clear the streets. I think not.

Also a point in question, does R Conway accept payment from his passengers for taking them to work? It is not acceptable to call it petrol money unless it can be proved that that is exactly what it is, and otherwise he is acting as a private hire vehicle and may be violating local City Council regulations.

Doug Fitton, Morecambe.