I would like to comment on the sharp rise in taxi driver complaints (The Argus, September 4).

In response to Mr Cheesman’s comment that foreign drivers don’t know the quickest routes, I thought all drivers take a route test for their licence with a member of the Hackney Carriage office accompanying them, and that they have to pass 12 out of 15 routes, driven by the quickest and least expensive means.

It is the driver’s responsibility to learn his or her way around so as to give the best service to passengers.

And what about Lewes drivers picking up in Brighton who haven’t passed the Brighton and Hove Knowledge? They might not know the quickest routes.

Taxi drivers from other areas should not be allowed to work other routes without learning the Knowledge first.

If they are from another patch, they should finish the job and proceed back to their area.

Mr Thomas, Woodland Avenue, Hove

I am a regular user of Radio Cabs, which employs a large number of foreign drivers.

I have always been impressed with the service these drivers provide. They may not necessarily speak flawless English but they are friendly, well- mannered and polite.

I often use cabs to transport my elderly mother around. She is disabled and uses a walking aid so getting in and out of a car can be stressful for her. However, the drivers are invariably willing to make things as easy as possible by pulling up close to building exits or entrances and offering a supporting arm.

They go the extra mile to make her journey as pleasant as it can be and impress with their customer-centred approach.

Let’s appreciate good service when we encounter it and stop obsessing over whether or not it’s provided by someone with a strange accent or different skin colour.

Lesley Fellingham, Ingram Crescent West, Hove