The proposed increases in hackney carriage fare structures are proving to be a little unpopular within the trade and objections have been sent.

The late night charge for Fridays and Saturdays of £1.80, an increase of £1 on the current night time charge, has been labelled by many as a "drunk tax" and is an unfair charge. It is even worse for anyone using a cab at these times from trains, coaches, work, residential and many other non-pub or club-related journeys.

The reason for bringing this charge in is to encourage more drivers to work at these times.

Can you see anyone who chooses not to work at this time change their hours as a result of the promise of an extra £4 an hour (£2 per hour net) before tax? I think not.

Those of us with the mettle for providing a service at these times are already doing so. I have worked nights in Brighton as a cabbie for 19 years and enjoy my job.

Contrary to popular belief, we prefer not to see huge queues of people on a rank - after all, who wants to pick up a customer who is angry as a result of a 30-minute wait?

The problem of high demand for cabs at these times is due to 250-plus pubs closing at the same time and then 35-plus clubs closing at the same time.

Perhaps if the powers-that-be offered flexible closing times, the problem would be solved, not just for us but for the hard-pushed police also. It's not rocket science, is it?

-Paul Small, Hackney Carriage plate holder 254, Brighton