Taxi Driver Online

Rickshaw brings pedal power



I TRAVEL through the centre of Derby on a daily basis but yesterday was the first time I had been ogled by scores of pedestrians as I passed.

And while some smiled and returned my rather nervous wave, others fixed me with looks bordering on confused or horrified.

But, fortunately for me, it was not my slightly windswept hair or powder blue tie that was attracting the attention – it was the fact that I was taking the first-ever licensed rickshaw ride in Derby.

Yesterday, East Midlands Rickshaws started offering free rides through the city centre to members of the public, linking Westfield shopping centre to Cathedral Quarter.

The pedal-powered rickshaws have a covered seat capable of carrying up to three passengers on a figure-of-eight route through the city.

I hopped onto the back of the rickshaw next to the fountain in Market Place – one of eight stops which will be clearly sign-posted in the coming weeks.

Toby Grindey, who took up the post of Derby's first rickshaw driver in December, then set off towards Iron Gate before heading to the bottom of Sadler Gate.

We turned and braved the strong winds along The Strand and Victoria Street, then onto St Peter's Street.

The final stretch, along St Peter's Street and up to The Spot, was what Toby described as the trickiest part.

The 31-year-old said: "It's generally quite busy along St Peter's Street, it is definitely the hardest part of the journey – it's the steepest stretch and when the wind is blowing against you it can be difficult.

To help Toby cope with the uphill climb, coupled with the added weight of passengers, the rickshaw has 24 gears.

He said: "When I'm cycling into the wind, the canopy at the back acts as a parachute and can really slow the rickshaw down. That's where the gears come in handy."

The rickshaw's journey to the streets of Derby has been hit with a number of roadblocks since Lee Todd, the man behind it, first came up with the idea.

Mr Todd had wanted to get a Hackney carriage licence so that people could hail it on the street.

But to qualify for such a licence, the rickshaw would have had to be able to take a wheelchair on board, for which it does not have space.

It has been granted a private hire licence instead, meaning passengers will have to pick up tickets from the Tourist Information Centre at the Assembly Rooms or in Westfield to book a trip.

But Toby said shoppers meandering through the city centre have been giving the rickshaw the thumbs-up for weeks.

He said: "I've been sitting on the rickshaw for a few weeks, making people aware of what the service is, and a lot of people have been really supportive of it.

"They've been coming up and asking when it launches and how they can get a ride."

People can book a free rickshaw ride by visiting the Tourist Information centre or Westfield concierge desk or by telephoning 07947 686333.

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I have it on good authority that someone has asked Derby Council, via a FoI request, how a rickshaw with no engine can be licensed as a PH.

No doubt the answer will appear up on TDO when the 20 days is up.

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IDFIMH

They'll have to go fast incase they get mugged. Derby is a dump of the highest order.

But they have fabulous yellow taxis

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Oh aye you can see them coming a mile off.

I think that is the idea.

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Grandad,

It would appear that Derby's LO told the council last week that they can't license these things under PH regs.

Maybe someone asked their legal department to read the 1976 act. Maybe they should have done that beforehand.

I suspect it will make the papers next week, with maybe a comment from a TDO (not me) member.

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IDFIMH

Wrong turning on rickshaw

A LEADING city councillor has expressed concern that a new mode of transport in Derby does not require a licence. The rickshaw service was given a private hire licence by the city council – but it has now emerged it did not need one.

Councillor Margaret Redfern, chairman of the council's licensing committee, said the matter raised questions about public safety. The authority says it issued the licence as a measure to protect passengers and to prevent rogue companies from setting up similar ventures.

Lee Todd, of Sawley, was given the private hire licence by the council to run the pedal-powered rickshaw between the city’s Cathedral Quarter and Westfield shopping centre.

But Derby City Council has now confirmed that the rickshaw did not need the licence as, by law, only motorised vehicles require them. Mrs Redfern said: “Public safety must be the first priority. By not having a licence there are no checks to ensure the vehicle is fit for use. Knowing that a service is licensed gives members of public reassurance that it is safe.”

Mr Todd, who was not operating his service in the city on Saturday, was unavailable for comment. The council is now reviewing the situation and is looking into whether Mr Todd’s business needs to be licensed, or other regulations imposed, to ensure health and safety issues are adhered to.

A spokeswoman for the council confirmed that it issued Mr Todd with a private hire licence knowing that unregulated rickshaws operate in other cities. She said: “We licensed Mr Todd’s rickshaw as a prudent measure aimed at protecting the safety of the public.

“The council believes that public safety should not be compromised and so we will look at alternative options to accommodate rickshaws with some regulation in the city centre.”

The authority was forced to question whether it had properly applied licensing law after receiving questions from Mick Hildreth of the professional drivers’ branch of the GMB union. He was told by the council that legal advice had been sought before the licence was issued.

He said: “The fact that legal advice had been taken, which subsequently had been proved to be wrong, should be of concern to all licensed drivers.”

Derby’s rickshaw is free to use and paid for through advertising sponsorship. Under the terms of the licence, people must book trips at the Tourist Information Centre in the Market Place, at the Spot, as well as at Westfield. It cannot be hailed from the street.

The service has been running for a month and the information centre said it had taken about 10 bookings.

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IDFIMH

How many times does a council need to get it right?

The vehicle needs a license for 'hire and reward', and that includes free rides if those rides are subsidised by advertising.

It cannot be licensed as PSV or PH, as the vehicle does not have an engine.

It can only be licensed as a hackney carriage. Thus the driver also needs a hackney carriage driver's license.

Oh, and as Derby are 100% WAVs, it also needs to be a WAV bike, or maybe a tow rope.

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IDFIMH

You forgot to mention.... that as a hackney he cannot refuse when hailed... so if somebody wanted to go across his district on a 20 mile run he could not refuse.... I hope he has good legs and has a metre fitted...
and of course there's also the fact he is not allowed on motorways

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

Could he be given a street traders licence, defining the area he can trade???

I've often said on here . . when London sneezes . . and now I see they're spreading their wings (or wheels) to the rest of the Uk.

Third world Britain grows.

now reminder me when did the London private hire Act come into existence.

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

He can refuse

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

A reasonable excuse... is not.... sorry my feet are hurting.

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!