Solicitor charging

It would appear that ordinary high street solicitors are now charging upwards of £200 per hour for simple routine tasks like conveyancing, handling probate for a will. This can very soon eat up all of a modest estate where a person has left debts on their estate or a will is contested or the person dies intestate. This is an obscene amount to charge for routine work which is probably carried out by a paralegal or junior person at the company anyway. I see absolutely no reason for such astronomical fees which I believe should be curbed. £50 per hour is surely more than enough for anyone.
A few years ago, in 2005 I successfully defended a claim against me in civil court. My solicitor, a junior, charged me in total around £40,000 at £160 per hour. Costs were not awarded by the court as the other party had secured legal aid. How can this be right? That £160 per hour in 2005 will now be....?
I would suggest that legislation should be brought in to curb such excessive charging and the legal profession be made more accountable to the people.