I WRITE in response to Phillip Tolley’s letter in what I consider very blatant electioneering without considering the facts.

Taxi drivers do not earn �20,000 a year after stoppages, it is much less. And the hours worked are often in excess of 50 a week.

Of course we do not buy the vehicle nor the fuel that goes in it. We don’t insure our vehicle nor do we maintain it. We don’t pay any tax or National Insurance, nor do we pay licence fees.

But actually that’s not true because we do all of the above. So out of Mr Tolley’s �20,000 lets do the sums:

1 Vehicle purchase cost �1,500 a year (my latest vehicle cost �4,500 and if I am lucky it might last three years)

2 Fuel costs around �5,500 a year based on the present costs

3 Insurance and tax �1,300 a year.

4 Servicing and maintenance �1,000 a year plus

5 Licence fees �300 a year.

So lets remove the above from the �20,000 and we have left the grand total of �9,600 before tax and National Insurance.

Divide that by 50 weeks = �192 a week. Divide that by 50 hours = �3.84 an hour.

So let us remove Mr Tolley’s smoke and remind people of the real issues.

It is the Conservative bus subsidy cuts that will leave many vulnerable, disabled and elderly people isolated in outlying areas of Fenland. Not to mention the probable cuts in policing leaving us more exposed to crime, cuts in the fire service. lack of road maintenance, The loss of public amenities and the subsequent job losses of the very people needed to protect us.

These are the real concerns of the people we have spoken to on the doorstep.

Welcome to the real world Mr Tolley.

DAVID PATRICK

Liberal Democrat candidate, Kirkgate Ward

Via e-mail