SIR: Recently you printed in your paper an article about the shocked councillor, who was horrified at the state of Bolton taxis and private hire cars.

I just wish to point out that the test, which is every six months and costs a lot of money and a lot extra for the test, is very strict - up to 83 items are checked on each vehicle.

I think that a lot of the responsibility for the state of the vehicles must rest on the shoulders of the Council's own examiner. It is normally the same one person who has done the testing for the last five or more years now.

Perhaps he is so set in his ways that he is missing the important mechanical faults, and only noticing reccurring faults, like paint colours not matching, rusty exhausts and worn tyres.

Time for a change.

P.H. Driver, Bolton.

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