I RARELY respond to letters about taxi fares, as most members of the general public have little or no idea of the costs involved in putting a black cab or Hackney Carriage on the road.

However, the comments made by M. A. Sorfleet (Bury Times, July 27) need some form of comment.

I fully agree with the sentiments expressed regarding the running of engines unnecessarily -- it is a nationwide problem and taxis are not the only culprits.

However, I feel it somewhat naive to think that turning off engines would negate the need for a fare rise. What about those who don't sit with their engines running?

It is a matter of simple economics and spiralling costs as to why a rise in the taxi fare, be it Bury or Manchester, becomes necessary.

Non-optional costs are: average insurance of £3,000 p.a. (ours is more than £2,900 with a full no claims); fuel costs have increased dramatically in the last two years and continue to rise; twice yearly MOT-type testing at £200+; parking permits so one can pick up passengers from the Airport £200+ p.a.; licensing requirements £100+.

And let's not forget the original purchase of £27,000 because most councils, such as Manchester, stipulate London-style taxis and no other.

My husband, and no doubt countless others, work an average of 70+ hours per week just to keep treading water, and let's face it, they put up with all manner of things.

Taxi fares in Bury and Manchester are set and regulated by the council who have a political interest in keeping the fares as low as possible.

Often by the time the rate rise has finally been sanctioned and implemented, the drivers are back to square one as costs have risen again. My husband also has to pay for his meter to be amended to the fare set by the council, usually about £20.

What I do find curious is that people will pay many pounds to get into night clubs, will purchase over-priced drinks in those same clubs, and buy new outfits to go out in: yet ask them to pay a reasonable fare, based on the true costs, to get home safely, in a vehicle that has cost a fortune just to be there, and suddenly all taxi drivers are out to rip you off.

I would ask anyone who has the ability to work out the true costs, who is being ripped off?

Why does my husband do it? Because in the real world, not that of Tony Blair in his rose-coloured spectacles, it is quite difficult for someone aged 55, even with a degree, to get a job.

What is most annoying is the knowledge that my husband, by dint of his employment, pays more into the taxation system via the tax on fuel, than the above-average wage earner . It's a pity his net income isn't as lucrative.

Which other business has its ability to pass on costs to the customer controlled by a local council? Do Bury or Manchester councils tell any other business what to charge for a service, despite ever-increasing costs?

Next time you travel in a black cab, have a thought to what has gone into putting that vehicle on the road.

We are small businesses trying to make a fair living. In Manchester, black cabs have had two fair increases in the last nine years, and that is a fact!

CHRIS ABBOTT (MRS)

Radcliffe.