Taxi Driver Online

Scarborough Evening News

June 19, 2008

Wheels fall off rickshaw plan

PLANS to introduce rickshaw-type vehicles to Scarborough have been thrown out by local councillors.

A report drawn up by a senior Scarborough council official had suggested allowing three seasonal licences for the vehicles, officially known as pedicabs.

The vehicles have three or four wheels and are popular in places such as London and Edinburgh where they are classified as Hackney carriages. It had been felt that introducing them to Scarborough would provide another attraction for visitors.

But the council's licensing committee decided against the idea on the grounds of public safety, but agreed it should be looked at again.

Granting the licences could also have posed a difficulty for the council which currently restricts the number of taxi licences to 97.

But recent Government guidance has stated that councils should carry out a review of their taxi licensing scheme and either opt for de-restriction or carry out a survey to see if there is an unmet demand for more taxis.

Last month it was agreed the council should first carry out such a survey rather than opt immediately for a de-restriction on the numbers than can ply their trade in the borough.

Cllr Phil McDonald, who is a member of the licensing committee, was unable to vote on the issue as he is a taxi driver.

But he said after the meeting: "My concerns would have been for the ultimate safety of the public and would we have been breaching our current conditions to limit the number of licences to 97.

"In other parts of the country people have been thrown out and we would have to look at the implications if we did agree to licence the pedicabs, such as insurance and the question of routes."

Andy Skelton, the council's head of environmental services, said they had gathered information from other councils.

Although a scheme in Oxford appeared to have failed, pedicabs were still operating in Durham and East Lindsey in Lincolnshire.

He said: "The reality is that while they require licensing, pedicabs are not a viable alternative to a motorised Hackney carriage.

"But, operated on certain routes, they may attract tourists wishing to use a novel form of transport."

Inquiries with other councils had shown a single maximum fare of between £8 and £10 with the cost of an operator's licence between £100 and £150.
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In other words this has got f*** all to do with pedicab safety, and everything to do with him keeping his premium.

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IDFIMH