SIR,

In response to last week's letter titled 'Service was not so ace', I was the driver in question and feel I need to clarify some things.

Firstly, customers who have previously booked their taxis over the phone do have priority over those who approach a taxi on the street with no warning.

It is wholly unfair on pre-booked customers and totally impractical if we knowingly allow un-booked customers to cause us to run late, which would have been exactly the case on the night in question.

The lady involved, with whom my colleagues and I have had similar problems in the past, would not accept no for an answer despite multiple calm, polite attempts.

Unable or unwilling to accept that we have a schedule to stick to, it seems instead she has decided to try and paint my actions as 'heartless'.

We are a taxi service, not a last minute emergency/ welfare service, although some try to treat us as such.

I was very polite, and went to some detail to explain why we were unable to fit her into our schedule. Far from being heartless I was in fact thinking about my existing customers who were already waiting for their pre-booked taxis.

If in future the lady is worried about slipping over and not being found or having to walk alone in the cold, which is entirely understandable, then I would strongly suggest she take a more realistic approach and actually arrange a lift or book her own taxi before going out, rather than just assuming a friend's taxi will be able to accommodate her without notice.

She is no longer welcome with us but there are other taxi services available.

At Ace Taxis we will always do our best, whether via phone bookings or short notice, to fit in extra trips, friends etc, but it is the nature of the business that we do have to stick to a schedule and put customers who have booked their taxi before those who have not.

See you on the town.

Fin Handley

(Monmouth)