Taxi Driver Online

Seriously?


Visitor and taxi trade views wanted on Morecambe prom rickshaw idea

https://www.lancasterguardian.co.uk/new ... ea-3754994

People’s views about allowing pedicabs or rickshaws to carry passengers along a section of Morecambe prom, and possibly on local roads, are being sought throughout July.

Lancaster City Council wants feedback from residents, visitors and taxi business about allowing pedicabs to operate between Morecambe’s Midland Hotel and Whinnysty Lane in Heysham, and possibly on the road between the Midland Hotel and Happy Mount Park.

Retired nurse Lorna Manlove is seeking a licence to operate pedicabs on a wider section of the promenade and possibly along some roads, so tourists can be taken on pleasure trips to local attractions, cafes and tea rooms.

Mrs Manlove outlined her ideas to the city council’s licensing committee in early June, and councillors had an update on pedicab information and consultation plans this week.

Councillors were told pedicabs have to be licensed under hackney carriage rules even though they are quite different types of businesses.

Licensing manager Jennifer Curtis said the proposed pedicab promenade route is 1.7 miles while the road route to Happy Mount Park is 1.8 miles.

Ms Curtis said: “Licensing of pedicabs is complex and there are lots of things to consider, with public safety being paramount. Due to the number of users on the promenade, including cyclists, walkers, families with pushchairs or animals, councillors requested a consultation plan be set-out to obtain the public’s views.

“Additionally, Lancaster City Council currently limits the number of hackney licences to 108, so it was recommended that hackney licence proprietors must also be consulted on the potential impact on the trade.

“By law, pedicabs must be licensed as hackney carriage vehicles. However they do not meet the city council’ s current hackney vehicle specifications. Additionally, drivers are required to obtain a licence from the council.

“The regulation of pedi-cabs does not easily fit hackney or private hire taxi legislation. Councils set separate vehicle specifications, driver application requirements and licence conditions to meet local needs.”

She said pedicab licensing had been discussed in Parliament during a transport committee meetin, but the focus was London and no dates have been suggested for any new national laws.

Ms Curtis added: “There are many reports online about incidents, altercations between riders and passengers, and excessive charging in London, but very little elsewhere.”

Coun Roger Cleet asked for clarification on electric powered pedicabs and speeds. He said: “One thing that concerns me is that the applicant said the pedicabs would be motorised. This is my ward and the promenade can get very busy with pedestrians.”

Ms Curtis said electric batteries help to turn the pedals, like electric bikes, but the speeds were slower than the maximum allowed on the promenade. The applicant, Mrs Manlove, had provided information.

Coun Andrew Gardiner suggested a manufacturer bring a pedicab to Morecambe for a trial run for councillors, an idea approved by recently-elected Ellel councillor Sally Maddocks.

Coun Melanie Guilding, licensing committee vice-chair, said there were some bottleneck areas on the Happy Mount Park route, but she also recalled traditional ice cream tricycles had been allowed in the past.

Councillors approved a four-week public consultation through July. Lancaster City Council will use its website and social media for consultation, and licensing staff will speak to some visitors on the promenade to get their views. Hackney carriage businesses will also be contacted directly.

That'll confuse the unmet demand surveyors, assuming they're not confused enough already


Thanks for that insight

But that's given me an idea for a new marketing slogan for my HC - 'Stop me and buy one'

Where do they get the idea that "by law, pedicabs must be licensed as Hackney Carriages." Does that mean that they must have a meter?

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Grandad,

Outside London, pedicabs are classified as Hackney Carriages, they can therefore be licensed and can ply-for-hire (i.e. be available to passengers for immediate hire). This decision was made by the Court of Appeal in the case of R v Cambridge City Council ex parte Lane (1999).

The decision in this case was that pedicabs fall under the definition of a Hackney Carriage under the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 and, as such, must be licensed as Hackney Carriages. Fares are charged at a flat rate regardless of how many passengers are carried.

The consequence of pedicabs being classified as Hackney Carriages outside London is that there are many difficulties in transposing hackney carriage regulations in order that they may apply equally to pedicabs. Many local authorities, some of which have been very keen indeed to set up or endorse pedicab services, have simply said ‘no’ to granting licences or given up on the basis that it is too difficult. In the rare places where pedicabs have been licenced, the regulations have been somewhat ‘skewed’ in order to shoehorn pedicabs into them

Interesting, and I'd have guessed that it was the other way round.

But would be instructive to know how councils that have licensed them actually apply the rules in terms of meters and public hire etc. I mean, are they able to rank up with the normal HCs? And how do you fit a meter in a pedicab

So I suspect it's a very rare beast where they are licensed as HCs, and any councils that have done so will have bent and twisted the rules so much that they effectively won't be licensed as HCs in the normal sense, but they'll just call it that anyway

In Scotland, again, the law is different. Pedicabs are operating successfully in Edinburgh and other cities in Scotland, licensed by local councils by means of Street Trading Licences. This has been reasonably successful and does provide a bit of control. However, as far as I’m aware, street trading regulations do not extend to mandatory insurance, conditions of fitness for pedicabs, and other measures one would expect of a formal licensing regime

Thanks. I mentioned previously that pedicabs here in Fife were licensed as street traders, which effectively means they could ply for hire and park in the most ridiculous places, and of course ignore each and every rule of the road.

Thankfully, they were just the occasional gimmick, and I think they've finally disappeared completely, but had the cheek to imply that us HCDs in St Andrews were the ones endangering customers

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=33834&p=387409#p387409

No, it just means they must be licensed as a hackney carriage and driven by a licensed hackney carriage driver.

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IDFIMH

And must have the appropriate insurance cover.

And a wall to pi** up their money.

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IDFIMH