Tacsi news

Papers opposed to the BBC are usually the ones most interested in the Corporation's taxi spend. I try not to get over-excited, but when I see a poor defence, I can be roused.

The outgoing Controller of BBC Wales, Menna Richards, managed six spectacular UK taxi bookings last year. Three, at £348.20, £331.93 and £348.20 (again) are presumably between London and Cardiff.  There are three others, between undeclared destinations, at around £150 each.

In response to enquiries from Wales On Sunday, a BBC Wales spokesman said  “A driver is contracted to and from London if train times aren’t appropriate, such as very early morning or late at night. Such journeys would sometimes include other members of the BBC Wales Board as well the director and offer value for money in comparison with the cost of travelling by rail."

The first weekday train from Cardiff leaves at 5.14am, arriving in London at 7.32am; the last sensible return departs from Paddington at 11.30pm.  So, dear spokesman, was Menna conducting important BBC business outside the hours of 8am-11pm, and with whom ?  Or, if not, who was with her in the cabs, so that we might see the value compared with individual train tickets ?