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Tuk-tuk tours planned for Cardiff as company bids to bring rickshaws to city streets

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wale ... f-14808954

Rickshaws are popular in India and Thailand and now a company wants to bring tours to Wales

Tuk-tuks could soon be whizzing around Cardiff if a tour company is granted a licence – but there are fears over safety.

Cardiff Tuk-Tuk Tours has asked Cardiff council for permission to allow tours in traditional rickshaws – commonly used in countries such as India and Thailand – which would take in the capital's main attractions.

But at present tuk-tuks are unable to be licensed as they do not meet Cardiff council private hire vehicle conditions – including passenger safety.

The council's public protection committee are due to decide whether to allow the application on July 3.

A report to the committee says the compact design of tuk-tuks do not comply with conditions such as knee space, lack of windows or doors, waterproof roofing or cover, and lack of space for fire extinguishers.

The report says: "Tuk-tuks have far fewer safety features than standard cars. They can be fitted with seatbelts and strengthened overhead and side-impact protection but they offer very little protection to the driver/passenger(s) in the event of a collision.

"They also do not have windows and the open compartment design poses a greater risk of objects entering the tuk-tuk and potentially causing injury or passengers being thrown from the vehicle or injuring limbs etc during a collision."

If allowed the company would buy three rickshaws and offer tours around the city which could last for six hours, three hours, or one hour from February to October.

The six-hour route would depart from Cardiff Castle and would include St Fagans, Insole Court, Llandaff Cathedral, Cardiff city centre – including the National Museum of Wales – and finish in Cardiff Bay .

In its application Cardiff Tuk-Tuk Tours said it would be unable to offer a taxi service and would only apply for a private hire licence.

The company said: "After touring many European cities and travelling extensively by tuk-tuk it has become apparent that Cardiff is one of Europe’s only capital cities not operating guided tuk-tuk tours.

"Cardiff has many interesting and historical attractions which are difficult to visit even by public transport.

"Although an open-top bus service operates between the city centre and Cardiff Bay this fails to visit many of the local attractions and, by operating guided tuk-tuk tours, we believe that the visitors visiting Cardiff will have more opportunity and choice on how they visit the attractions."

sussex will be pleased !!

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Doomed to failure.

The reason they are popular in parts of Asia is because it is very warm there and they don't give a monkeys about this safety stuff.

Can you imagine spending 6 hours in one in the [edited by admin] rain and wind in a Welsh winter?

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IDFIMH

you would be surprised there's no accounting for what some people deem to be "fun"

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Tuk Tuks are coming to Cardiff - despite safety fears

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/loca ... e-14860337

The £25k electric vehicles will offer tours around the city

Cardiff council has decided to grant a licence to a tour company which wants to operate trips around the capital in electric versions of the rickshaws commonly used in India and Thailand.

The council's public protection committee granted a licence despite fears over safety.

Cardiff Tuk-Tuk Tours will now be able to operate tours around the city, lasting for six hours, three hours or one hour, from February to October. A taxi service would not be offered.

Routes will include Cardiff Castle, St Fagans, Insole Court, Llandaff Cathedral, Cardiff city centre and Cardiff Bay.

The company has said it will buy three top-of-the-range electric vehicles, which would cost around £25,000 each.

Councillors on the committee largely welcomed the idea, but some concern was raised about the safety of the vehicles, including lack of crash protection.

Dale Edmonds, owner of Cardiff Tuk-Tuk tours, said cities such as London, Manchester and Chester already have similar businesses operating there.

He said: "I think this is an opportunity for Cardiff to get on board with something exciting, something different, something green, something we can offer the tourists that they are not getting at the moment."

Asked about crash protection, he said: "The passengers sit high in the vehicle. That makes it unlikely that they would get much of an impact (in a crash.)

"They have had no major reports of any incidents at the factory (for the tuk tuks).

"I have travelled the routes on many occasions at various times of the day. I set my vehicle to a maximum of 40mph, and not once have we held the traffic up or been held up by the traffic. We're not intending to use them in peak rush hours in the morning."

Mr Edmonds added his drivers would be put through a specialist training course, and all the tuk-tuks would have seatbelts.

Councillor Joel Williams was among those who supported the idea. He said: "This is a really exciting application. It can be great for our city, great for the local economy and great for tourists."

Councillor Susan Goddard added: "It's absolutely something super for the city and environmentally friendly which is what we all want any way."

But two councillors on the committee express fears over safety.

Councillor John Lancaster said: "I don't like them - I just think they're not safe. There's no crash protection.

"There's no protection for drivers, no air bags. There's no protection for any passenger. If you're hit by a 4x4, lorry or a bus, sitting on that level won't protect them either. Saying there has been no reported incidents doesn't mean anything.

"This is the public protection committee, not the 'lets licence anything because it looks good' committee."

Councillor Norma Mackie, the chairwoman of the committee, also expressed concerns. She said: "I have a real concern about the safety aspect. There's no protection should something hit them."

But the committee heard the tuk-tuk vehicles are already road legal and come with safety certificates.

The licence was granted with five votes in favour, two against.