WITH regard to recent articles between Mr D Hodgson and Mr Harrison in your paper.

As an former taxi driver, who didn't get one of the Hackney licences that the council gave away three years ago, I have a vested interest in the work.

Some who got the free licences sold them straight away for a lot of money.

I'd driven for a number of years and if I'd got one of the free licences I'd still be taxi driving.

Now there are a lot of private hire vehicles on the road and the takings on the hackneys has fallen.

But some hackney owners run private hire vehicles as well so how can they criticise the private hire owners.

Trade in Morecambe has dropped now the holiday trade has decreased. We were always busy when Pontins was open.

Now the trade has gone there's a lot of cars taking nothing.

Some people who don't know the taxi trade are paying up to £28,000 for licences and cars. If the Government deregulates, they will lose a lot of money.

Bill Smith, West End Road, Morecambe

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