Taxi Driver Online

Liverpool licensing chiefs to inspect “welded in” taxi engines amid fears of safety risk


CITY licensing chiefs are investigating claims that taxi drivers are welding old engines into their cabs, amid fears the work might make them unsafe. They are to inspect vehicles after they were alerted by the London Taxi Company – which makes the distinctive Hackney cabs – that engines from previous models were being installed into newer vehicles.

The work has not been approved by the council – which hands out the licences to drivers – and because there is “no visible means of inspection it cannot be satisfied that the conversion does not pose a risk to public safety”, a report to go before city leaders warns.

But taxi drivers’ union representatives insisted there was little chance of any safety risk and said the alterations were being made because of problems with the newer engines. Unite spokesman Tommy McIntyre said: “Taxis will do nearly a million miles in their lifetimes, but the new models have Ford engines in, rather than the old Nissan ones, and there have been a lot of problems.

“And there are other engines in them which start having problems after around 180,000 miles. “The council wants to make sure the engines are OK and to my knowledge there have not been any problems. “If it’s in the interests of the safety of my guys and the interests of public safety, then I’ve not got a problem with that.”

The council’s report states: “Officers intend to write to all hackney carriage proprietors making them aware of the current situation, asking them to contact the Licensing Office if their vehicles have undergone an unapproved engine conversion, so that the vehicle can be inspected.”

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IDFIMH

The cab im driving is a Tx2 when the guy bought it had about 100k on clock for the 1st few years was fine then problems started everyday was another problem, litrally spent thousands on the cab breaking down.
Then he changed to Nissan 2.7 Tx1 engine about 2years ago and since then never had a problem.
The ford engine is a verry loud and dirty engine the nissan engine is alot quieter and more reliable.

Surely the latest had VM engines?

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

VM ?

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

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most