Taxi Driver Online

Cambridge tricycle plan angers taxi drivers

A bid to introduce electric tricycles on to the streets of Cambridge is being opposed by the city's taxi drivers. On Monday the city council will consider whether to license Veloform UK's vehicles as both Hackney carriages and private hire vehicles.

Managing director Andrew Hutchinson said they were a "useful and fun" way to take tourists around a city. However David Wratten, treasurer of Cambridge City Licensed Taxis, said they would add to congestion.

The battery-powered three-wheelers, also known as 'pedicabs', can carry up to three passengers and have a top speed of 15 mph (25 km/h). Mr Hutchinson described the vehicles as "somewhere between a walking tour and an open-top bus tour". If the company's application is approved he said he would be looking for a local operator familiar with the city and its tourist trade.

Taxi drivers, however, have expressed concern that granting the vehicles Hackney carriage licences - meaning they can use taxi ranks - would affect their business. Mr Wratten said: "We only have 37 rank spaces for 300 Hackneys. "There isn't enough space for the existing fleet and we'll just end up with more over-ranking and congestion problems in the city."

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IDFIMH

would they be able to license them as hackney ?

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

Yes, provided the WAV condition is binned.

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IDFIMH

And if they are able to license them as hackney, will they also be able to license them as private hire?

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Grandad,

Yes.

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IDFIMH

In most areas hackney vehicles and private hire vehicles have to be different. They can't look alike.

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Grandad,

Neither probably resemble a leccy trike

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

I think youll find in most areas ph resemble hackneys and they do look alike

most LA's that dont have 100% WAV's as hacks usually have a colour code

i.e. a saloon/non "purpose built" in white = hack here, in any other colour its PH

purpose built any colour = hack and cant be a PH....

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

Not here or the surrounding area,anything goes to blur the lines of the difference.

Really can't say I have ever noticed

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

Most 100% taxi WAV areas allow the E7 types to be licensed as PH, and all saloon taxi areas allow saloon PH vehicles.

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IDFIMH

In my area, hackneys must have a top sign and PH can't have one. Ph have to have a sticker on the side to say that they are private hire. This makes them look different. How would they make these trikes look different?

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Grandad,

A rather large orange TAXI light and side graphics differ my Vito from Minicab vehicles.

Appearance is everything, depends on the quality of the L.A.

I'd have thought they already look different.

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