TAXIS provide an important part of any community's local transport service.

They connect people from their homes and hotels to railway stations and airports.

They provide school transport services, reduce the need for people to park on shopping trips and, of course, provide a vital method of getting home after a night out.

In the Faithful City, however, it would appear that all is not as it should be with our taxi firms.

The secretary of Worcester Taxi Drivers' Association is warning a series of reforms must be introduced to help save the city's businesses and the drivers' livelihoods.

The association wants to see fewer new licences, a more stringent "knowledge" test and more official taxi ranks.

The city council has agreed to examine the proposals.

It was only last year, however, that the Office of Fair Trading called for the repeal of laws allowing councils to limit cab numbers in town and city centres.

Restrictions to taxi numbers causes long queues, public disorder and the increased use of illegal mini-cabs, the OFT said.

We agree. So what can be done?

Worcester Taxi Drivers' Association is right to call for tougher regulations governing the licensing of new drivers and more official taxi ranks.

A better quality, more readily available service will mean more people are likely to use taxis in and around the city - helping to safeguard existing taxi drivers' jobs.

And. just maybe, even creating a few more.