Gerry Facenna, Allied's managing director, says Edinburgh is the only authority outside London refusing to license the company's cabs.

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

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

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

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?

It is a real boon to be able to turn on a sixpence but is it safe.

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??

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

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