Taxi Driver Online

Leicester Mercury

February 12, 2007 Monday

HEADLINE: Companies 'could sponsor rickshaws'

Companies are being urged to sponsor rickshaws to transport shoppers and visitors around the city.

Environmental organisation Groundwork Leicester has announced that a bid for £76,000 to set up the scheme has failed.

Now it wants local businesses to come forward to pay about £5,000 for a rickshaw - or "pedicab" - bearing their colours and logo. The aim is to give people a pollution-free way of getting around the pedestrianised areas of the city more easily. Tim Hudson, sustainable transport team manager for Groundwork, said he was disappointed not to get a grant to get the scheme up and running.

However, he said: "We're thinking about approaching large local businesses to see if they would sponsor a pedicab. "You could pay £5,000 and have a pedicab in your company colours going round the city advertising - it's a good deal. "With some support, I still feel confident that we can go ahead with this.

"With visitors to the cinema and the performing arts centre needing to get back to their cars or to the bus station, they could use the pedicab service instead of walking through the city centre at night. "It has worked in other places, so why not Leicester? We need something that's going to inject a bit of fun into the city."

David Nicholls, Groundwork chief executive, said: "Unfortunately, we weren't successful with the pedicabs bid, but we remain keen on the idea." The organisation had been hoping to get a fleet of 10 pedicabs up in operation by June this year.

Groundwork is putting £125,000 into the project to train staff and run the operation, but needs more cash to buy the machines. It had been hopeful of getting the extra money from a bid to the European Regional Development Fund, but was turned down. The pedicabs would operate in areas such as Gallowtree Gate and would travel at a similar speed to mobility scooters.

The scheme would provide employment for nine drivers, who would be issued with licences to operate in a similar way to taxi-drivers. Each pedicab costs between £5,000 and £6,000 and can carry three passengers. Fares are expected to be no more than £2. Local firms are now being contacted. A spokesman for Alliance & Leicester told the Leicester Mercury that the company would be interested in the idea of sponsoring one of the pedicabs.
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