THE article about the taxi trade (Daily Echo, September 1) helps bring to Southampton City Council's attention several points to which both council tax payers and taxi users need answers.
Firstly, why are taxi licences, which are issued by the council, allowed to be traded for £35,000 a time? Ultimately these licences belong to the council, so any proceeds from a sale should go to the council for the benefit of council tax payers.
Secondly, if a hard-working driver has the overhead of paying rent' to a non-driving licence holder, then this will have to be recovered by higher fares.
The simplest solution would be for all licences held by non-drivers, or multiple licences held by a single party, to be cancelled. Replacement licences could then be issued by the council to drivers only, either for a nominal sum or a fair weekly rent, thus bringing some benefit to council tax payers, and also keeping fares down.
Under the present system, the so-called Mr Bigs seem to control the trade, making vast profits which would be far better used to reduce council tax and taxi fares.
Surely it's the council's duty to make sure this happens.
ROD JONES, Southampton.
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