The injustice of the prices of cabs in the city has compelled me to write.

Having lived in many places in the UK, I have found the prices of cabs in Brighton and Hove are extortionate.

With a city which promotes using alternative transport and encourages its residents not to drive into town, I find it astonishing no local un-metered and reasonably-priced cabs operate here. If they did, it would prove competition to the monopoly operated by Hackney carriages.

Sometimes, it is just not convenient to get a bus everywhere and some routes, in parts of Hollingdean, are infrequent - but the price of cabs is crippling me.

For example, on a Sunday an eight-minute ride from Fiveways to the Marina cost a staggering £11 and the average cost to travel into the city centre in less than five minutes is about £10. In London, a local cab company would charge £3-£4 maximum.

I cannot believe other residents don't feel the same yet everyone seems to accept these rip-off prices. It may be all right for the rich and well-off but it's too much for average earners with dependants and families.

Is there some way this injustice can be addressed and un-metered cab companies introduced? Doing so would give expensive, metered cabs a run for their money and local residents better value.

-Michael Williams, Brighton