Taxi Driver Online

Rickshaw taxis take to road



Europe's first fleet of motorised three-wheel rickshaws is to be launched in Brighton and Hove.

Tuk-tuks - a common sight in India, China and Thailand - are expected to revolutionise public transport in the city, providing an environmentally-friendly, low-cost alternative to taxis and a more convenient means of travel than buses.

The two-seater vehicles, which begin operating on Monday, will charge a flat rate of £2.50 for any adult, single journey on a route encompassing Brighton Marina, Hove and Brighton railway station.

They have been hailed by civic leaders as a possible solution to the city's chronic congestion problems and a money-spinning tourist attraction.

TucTuc Ltd, which has been awarded the first known operator's licence outside Asia, believes that if the tuk-tuks are popular, routes could be introduced all over Brighton and Hove and in cities across Britain, including London.

Executive director Dominic Ponniah, 26, said: "We thought Brighton would be the ideal testing ground. We wanted somewhere similar to the capital in terms of style and outlook.

"There is no other place like it in the South outside London.

"It's really busy and vibrant, with its share of visitors and young people who are quite affluent and fun.

"It was an obvious choice. I am sure tuk-tuks will become a major hit in Brighton and hopefully we can extend the service.

"We're convinced that it will provide a fun-factor to getting around the city which will appeal to locals and visitors alike."

The vehicles have been shipped over from India and modified to meet British safety criteria.

They will run on natural gas, which drastically-reduces harmful environmental emissions and fuel consumption.

Each tuk-tuk has a unique design, including the tongue-in-cheek Chavrolet and the fruity Strawberry.

The venture will create about 50 new full and part-time jobs. TucTucs Ltd will operate all year round from 8am to 2am.

For the adult fare of £2.50 - £1.50 for children - passengers can travel from the Marina to Hove, a journey that would cost twice that in a taxi.

Vehicles will pick up from desginated stops along the route, which runs from Brighton Marina, along the seafront to Hove and up through the city centre to Brighton station.

Gill Mitchell, chairwoman of Brighton and Hove City Council's environment committee, said: "This is a real coup for Brighton. Tuk-tuks will undoubtedly attract many tourists as well as complimenting our existing public transport. The price is realistic and they have great environmental credentials which I welcome."

Taxi drivers are less than enthusiastic about competition they believe will not have to operate under the same guidelines.

Tyrone Beane, who has driven a cab in Brighton and Hove for more than 30 years, said: "It's a sore point with everybody. It's not fair. All the money we pay to do the business we do and they come along without a knowledge test or anything."

Really?

This should be interesting, I wonder what safety crash tests have been done, and by whom.

So the implication seems to be that taxi prices are unrealistic?

And I wonder who sets them?

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

http://www.tuk-tuk.co.uk/index.php?arti ... l&recno=37

Tuk Tuk Taxi, gets hackney status - 4/3/2006

MMW are the first Tuk Tuk Company to have gained Hackney status.We Have been running our vehicles with full Private Hire Licenses since 1999 but have now gained Hackney status. our vehicle is fitted with European Approved seat belts all round as all our vehicles are. We fit heaters into the passenger area and a full CD system. The vehicle was issued a license by North Somerset Council in 2005. MMW Tuk Tuks, Will now be seen running in Plymouth with Taxi Licenses, for details of how you can own and register an MMW Taxi contact Steve Webb at TUKSHOP on our front page.

So the so-called 'exemplary' transport system needs a third world solution.

That said, it might be worth those in power in the national taxi/PH trade to take note, cos if it works out in B&H, then they will be everywhere.

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IDFIMH

the trade had a big meeting over this today and all is not well.
dont think they will take this lying down.
by all account they have a set route and mustnt leave it.
i will speak yto one of the ph lads whos doing a fact sheet.
we are calling them Go-karts.

wot a great heading for us. wan***s.



Tuk-tuks scare taxis

Furious taxi drivers are hiring lawyers to fight plans to allow motorised rickshaws to work in Brighton and Hove.

Representatives of the city's 1,500 cabbies met for an emergency meeting yesterday after The Argus revealed the tuk-tuk vehicles will begin operating next Monday.

A familiar sight in Asia, the three-wheel cabs have been hailed as an environmentally-friendly, low-cost alternative to taxis and a possible solution to the city's congestion problems.

But cabbies said the machines would be likely to cause more congestion as they battle with cars and buses for space.

Driver Jeff Howell said: "I can't believe the council has backed a Third World transport scheme for a modern, vibrant city such as Brighton. We are not in the Middle East. This is going backwards."

TucTuc Ltd was granted an operators licence to run rickshaws by the Government's traffic commissioner last October, following a public inquiry.

Taxi drivers are now drafting a legal letter to Brighton and Hove City Council, as well as the commissioner, asking why they were left in the dark over the decision.

Members of the Taxi Trade Forum said they approached Tim Nichols, environmental health and licensing manager at the council, with rumours of the tuk-tuk scheme last month.

John Streeter, vice-chairman of taxi firm Brighton Streamline, said: "This has all been decided behind our backs. The council has actively tried to keep this information from us."

Hackney carriages and private hire drivers in Brighton and Hove are some of the most regulated in the UK and cabbies have to pay the council at least £200 a year.

John Oram, chairman of Brighton Streamline, said: "This affects the livelihood of 1,500 families.

"We are not saying we will not take positive action because we will do what we need to do to fight this."

The tuk-tuks will charge a flat rate of £2.50 for any single journey between Brighton Marina, Hove and Brighton railway station.

Dominic Ponniah, executive director of TucTuc, said at a launch party for the scheme last night: "Our licences have been granted by the traffic commissioner and it is a condition that the vehicles are fully taxed, fully insured and 100 per cent regulated.

"I'm more than happy to meet with representatives of Brighton's taxi community to put their minds at rest as soon as possible."

The Argus have always hated the Brighton cab trade, can't understand why you lot deal with them.

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IDFIMH

So a public enquiry that wasn't very public?

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

Capital to buzz with sound of motorised rickshaws


MOTORISED rickshaws are set to carry passengers on the streets of Edinburgh by 2008.

Plans to introduce a 20-strong fleet of the three-wheeled mopeds, usually seen in cities across Asia, were revealed yesterday.

The firm behind the rickshaws, which can carry three passengers and run on natural gas, today said they would help cut Edinburgh's congestion and pollution problems. Entrepreneur Dominic Ponniah unveiled the machines in Brighton yesterday where he will start the first service of its kind in Europe on Monday.

He claims the vehicles, which can travel at 35mph, will provide tourists, shoppers and visitors with a safe, economical and environmentally friendly means of getting around the city.

If successful, he plans to have the tuk-tuks, named after the noise of their engines, transporting people around Edinburgh within two years.

Mr Ponniah said: "Edinburgh is an ideal size for running tuk-tuks. But it has the same sort of dynamics as London with all its events and festivals. It's quite hilly as well which causes a problem for the cycle rickshaws which struggle going up slopes. We have already started planning to get the vehicles imported."

The service will run in a similar way to a bus route with certain pick-up and drop-off points.

"It means the company only needs a licence from the local transport commissioner rather than a taxi licence from the council."

Mr Ponniah's business TucTuc will have 12 of the machines, which achieve the equivalent of 50 miles per gallon, running in Brighton. Next year he is expected to buy 40 to run in London.

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/edinburgh.cfm?id=9940 32006


Does anybody have to bother with anything now or should we just do as we like?

And what about the DDA?

I'm a bit confused about all this congestion rubbish.

The bloody things only take 2 or 3 customers, so how can they cut congestion when it takes over 25 of them to serve the same amount of customers as a bus?

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IDFIMH

So will London open their arms up to yet more un-vetted drivers?

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IDFIMH

these licenses dont start till monday 10th.
yet they are operating free today and this weekend.
the worlds gone mad.
all they are is kids in go karts.
hold on tight we are in for one heck of a ruck.

So presumably the Traffic Commissioner doesn't specify much in the way of safety standards?

I can't see them doing well on fixed routes though.

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

So you can't register an 9 seater+ stretch Hummer with the commissioners because it doesn't satisfy the bus regulations, but you can register a tuk-tuk on a restricted license?

Usual shambles

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk