On returning to Trowbridge, by train, last Saturday evening at about 10.50pm, my wife and I jumped in a taxi, at the station to take us home. We live just off the West Ashton road and the normal taxi fare, even at this time in the evening is around the £5 mark, Imagine my disbelief when I looked at the meter in the taxi, before we had even left the station car park, to see that the fare was already £4.50. I asked the driver what was the extra cost for, he replied in broken English that it was after 10.30pm.

Now my experience is that the taxi fare goes up after 11pm and not 10.30pm. We were already in the taxi and to get out and get another one would have incurred more cost. So we stuck with the taxi we were in. I questioned him all the way home, a trip of approx seven minutes.

It turns out that he was a private driver who had just stuck a taxi sign on the roof of his car, installed a meter and was now a licensed taxi who apparently could charge what he liked.

He had no company logo on the side of his car just the taxi sign on the roof. After a little discussion about the price he reduced the total cost from £8.10 to £7. Which of course I paid, but he didn’t get a tip.

My question is who licences these apparently private taxis. Who lays down what they can charge? I suppose I can answer my own questions – Wiltshire Council. Is this yet another example of our council just trying to get more money into the coffers and not really caring about what these private taxis are going to charge?

This is a warning to would-be taxi users, check the taxi and the fare before you get in.

Ron Kirkwood, Trowbridge.