Taxi Driver Online

Glasgow taxi makers seek Edinburgh deal


A GLASGOW taxi manufacturer is prepared to sue Edinburgh City Council in an attempt to end an English firm's stranglehold on the capital's cabs.

Allied Vehicles, of Possilpark, wants to challenge the market dominance enjoyed by Manganese Bronze, maker of the world-famous black cab.
Gerry Facenna, Allied's managing director, says Edinburgh is the only authority outside London refusing to license the company's cabs. Manganese Bronze, owner of London Taxis International, has a "virtual monopoly" on the Edinburgh market, said Mr Facenna.
He said: "We are a proud Scottish company and it is hurtful that Scotland's capital city will not approve our vehicles. We intend to meet [the council] soon. "If they do not give their approval, we will seek a judicial review." Allied owns CabDirect, which produces the wheelchair-friendly Peugeot E7 taxi, one of Britain's best-selling cabs, at its Balmore Road headquarters. Mr Facenna said the dispute with Edinburgh arose because the city has a similar black cab licensing system to London's, which he said was unusually prescriptive.

Allied challenged Transport for London's Public Carriage Office in the English courts, and it has agreed to review those standards which are blocking the approval of the E7. Edinburgh council said: "At the moment, the vehicles do not meet our current conditions of licensing, which were brought into effect in June 2002. However, we would be prepared to consider any relevant material that suggests we should reconsider [those]
conditions."

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Another nail in the LTI/T&G cartel coffin.

I thought that other LAs didn't allow them either?

Didn't Wharfy say recently that many LAs such as Manchester still slavishly follow the PCO??

Dusty

yes he did and he aint changing his mind, Carlisle, milton keynes, liverpool,

gosh hell need a lot of money wont he?

but cannot you tell all the worried people, with all this rush to talk about cabs being plumbers vans and ice cream vans, and trashing of the name?

still it is an issue that needs court time, best place to challenge would be a council like Skipton in leeds crown court, cos there there is hardly any cabs.

Wharfie

Personally, I wouldn't have an E7 if you paid me (well, I might, depends how much was offered), but I for one support Cab Direct and wish them well with their challenge against monopolistic dictatorship.

And, If the Welsh girl at Cab Direct reads this, I'd support you too.

Surely, if Cab Direct get a Judicial Review which rules that monopoly supply is illegal under EU rules, thats the only case they would need to win? It would cover the whole UK including Scotland.

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There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.

Edinburgh Council, as Licensing authority, dropped their requirement for vehicles used as taxis to meet PCO requirements last year. The only point of failure for the Eurocab is its turning circle. It just ain't good enough. The vehicle cannot meet the current licensing conditions, so Allied think the rules should be changed to suit them. The reality is nothing to do with monopolies but all to do with Allied's profits!!
Personally, I am concerned that it has not been properly tested for safety as a taxi after all the extra holes that have been drilled through the chassis to fit seats and belt anchorages etc.
Given that it is not truly a purpose-built taxi but a modification to an existing vehicle, (which is in use as a PH car in Edinburgh) it is also less instantly identifiable as a taxi.
So, like many others here, I think we are better with a distinctive vehicle (Fairway , TX1, 2 or Metro) rather than the can of worms that licensing modified vehicles would open.
regards
AlanG

Hooray

Why does the turning circle mean so much? I certainly don't notice that I have a lack of it.

I would agree, however, that the conversions should be just as safe as the TXII, and that Cab Direct are only in it for the profit. But, as we are ALL only in it for the profit, I cannot condem Cab Direct in that regard.

Give the conversions the same tests as the TXII. Thats surely the solution. As for making the vehicles distinctive, I still think the word TAXI is appropriate.

Nidge, do you drive a PB? And, do you think all Hackneys nationwide SHOULD be PBs?

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There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.

Alan,

There is lots of drivel this goes along side that,
With all due respects, when you talk about a purpose built taxi built for whom and where? certainly not your city.

Wharfie

I used to Andy, I used to have a Nissan Versa Cab, total crap let me tell you, I've driven TX1's, Austins, Fords. Not all hackneys should be PBV's mate there should be a mixture 50/50 split lets say. Take the old people for example, they can't get into the PBV's or TX1's/ TX2's. The amount of people who walk past them to get in a saloon is amazing. Yesterday 2 people with wheelchairs got into a saloon on the rank,not bad is it??

Andy7 wrote "why does the turning circle mean so much"


Because its the only darn thing stopping euro7 being used in a lot of borough's throughout the country, when all arguments are put forward in a council meeting slanging match between manganese and their competitors the trump up their sleeve is the turning circle.

It is a real boon to be able to turn on a sixpence but is it safe.
Theres nothing worse than driving down the road to have a cab swing out in front of you on a narrow road or a road where theres one nearside lane blocked with traffic, would it have been possible in a private car? NO the car driver would more than likely use a side street to revrse into and turn round thus making it safer!

And thats before all the cab drivers get on their high horse saying its more dangerous to turn round in a private car, YES it is more dangerous in ANY type of vehicle, to do a u turn rather than reverse and turn round.

Its about time this monopoly was stopped and left up to drivers personal choice!

Me well i love the turning circle but i hate the MPG!

According to the independent transport people, no.

According to those who make vehicles with the turning circle, and their paid up vested interests, yes.

Guess who I believe?

Yup. I'd agree with all of that. I'd just like to see more competition between either more PBs (unlikely given the costs) or conversions. Proper conversions being tested and accepted would, in my view, be better for the market and the customer in the long run. The trouble at the mo, is that there is no consistency in the quality of conversions. Thus allowing the Councils the excuse to still bar them, based spuriously, on just the turning circle argument.

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There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.

OK I guess the name "London Taxis International" is a bit of a giveaway!!
A purpose-built taxi is a vehicle that is built with the sole purpose of being a taxi (for the benefit of the less-educated). It is built for its largest market (London again?). And yes it is far from perfect.
The main points of benefit for me are the turning circle which means that the vehicle can always be turned much more easily in a confined space than any modified competitor, the Nissan engine was the best available (I've never had a decent Ford diesel yet - and so far I'm not overimpressed with the TX2 in that respect) and the partition that keeps the punters separate.
Obviously they are built primarily for use in cities, but they are more spacious than your average saloon or MPV used as a taxi and they are ceretainly improving in the comfort stakes. Reliability? I checked back just the last 6 years and in that time I've lost 3 shifts because of breakdowns. Good enough for me.
So where does the rest of the drivel reside?
AlanG

What amazes me about this turning circle issue, is why there aren't millions of TXs in the likes of New York, Tokyo, Mexico City and the like?

But even if they are the bees knees, what is wrong with those drivers who couldn't give a monkeys about the circle, having an alternative?

Mansfield and further up north?

lets get to the time when taxi drivers drive the vehicles and not over sell them?

Wharfie