SIR – Although I can sympathise with Bradford’s hackney carriage operators facing rising costs against a background of less business and increasing competition from private hire, there are wider issues involved.

Motor insurance for ‘hire and reward’ is always expensive, based as it is on risks involved. Those risks and premiums are greater in the Bradford area because it is perceived as the epicentre of uninsured drivers, fake accidents and bogus injury claims.

This deplorable situation is exacerbated by the political correctness of politicians at local and national level which ties the hands of the police and courts because their ‘votes’ are more important than justice or road safety for the law-abiding majority.

However, whatever the practical difficulties are, I sincerely hope that taxi drivers aren’t working 20 hours a day as no-one doing that is fit to carry passengers at all – licensing panel please note.

D S Boyes, Rodley Lane, Leeds