Taxi Driver Online

Tourist tricycles fail to win Edinburgh private hire license

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/ ... -1-4746864



Tourists will not be able to cruise around the Capital on an electric tricycle after the vehicle failed to meet licensing conditions – because it only has three wheels.

Edinburgh City Council’s sub-licensing committee rejected an application from eKogoose Ltd to use an electric tricycle to offer tours of between 60 and 90 minutes to visitors around Edinburgh’s Old and New towns. The company is hoping to gain permission to run the service in other cities across the UK.

The Clean Motion ZBRS45 is a three-wheeled electric vehicle, powered by a 4kW battery. The tricycle can reach a top speed of 27mph and can carry two passengers and a driver.

Had approval been granted, customers would have been picked up anywhere within three miles of the city centre for the sightseeing tours.

The company was required to apply for a private hire licence for the eco-friendly vehicle, but it failed to meet 17 conditions, including having four wheels, windows, doors and at least four seats.

Speaking at the committee meeting on behalf of eKogoose, Tony Harris said: “Our intention is only to use it for tours. We are not picking people up from the airport. We are just doing tours. We can’t magically put another wheel onto the vehicle. There’s no discussion about that, that’s just the way the vehicle is.”

Council officers raised concerns the authority could not test three-wheeled vehicles in order for the mode of transport to meet standards.

Mr Harris added: “Our vehicle, while it’s not a private hire vehicle, has got European approval for that type of vehicle. It is able to drive on UK roads and European roads.”

Regulatory services manager Andrew Mitchell said: “You risk the taxi and private hire trade coming back to you and asking why you wouldn’t accept an MOT and test certificate from their chosen garage. They have almost been caught up in issues that are not of their own making, but the trade generally are quite forceful in trying to push the boundaries of the council’s current policies.”

An objection to the proposal was also made by police over the vehicle failing to meet standards. Councillors rejected the application despite a plea by Cllr Cameron Rose, who said: “What we have here is something of innovation. It’s completely different. We have a framework of legislation that we are trying to squeeze this into.

“I think we need to think outside of the box and give an opportunity to something, which is innovative.”

Only Cllr Rose and Cllr Neil Ross voted in favour of accepting the licence application. Committee convener, Cllr Cathy Fullerton, said: “Whilst we would welcome any new clean vehicles coming into the city of Edinburgh, we have heard from the police and our officers that this one does not comply with conditions of a private hire vehicle.

“The risks are a bit high for us to agree this and I’m going to move that we reject this application.”

We have an application being looked at next week for a similar sort of thing only not with an electric trike but a proper motorcycle trike without any cover. Our conditions as they stand make it impossible for this type of vehicle to be approved but they want to change the conditions to allow it.
Of course I am not allowed to be at the meeting.

_________________
Grandad,

Get someone else to raise your concerns.

Did I say I had concerns?

_________________
Grandad,

whenever I hear mention of 3 wheelers this comes to mind

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQh56geU0X8

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

Some people should have been put in the yellow bag and put in the bin at back of the birthing unit at birth.

Plans unveiled to start motor tricycle tours of Melton and Vale of Belvoir

https://www.meltontimes.co.uk/news/tran ... -1-8523809

Residents and tourists might soon get the chance to book a Melton taxi with a difference - a three-wheel trike.

Borough councillors will decide on Monday whether to grant a licence for use of the vehicle for escorted tours around Melton and the Vale of Belvoir to Richard Potts.



Mr Potts will take his brand new 2018 Boom Mustang ‘Family’ Motor Tricycle, which is a purpose-built three-seat 1600cc engine, to show members of the licensing and regulatory committee.

He told the Melton Times: “The trike will be specifically for tours - we won’t be picking up people from the pub and taking them home.

"There is nothing like this in Melton at the moment.

“Passengers will enjoy travelling in the open air and the freedom of riding on a motor trike.

“I’ve had trikes in the past and this is a hobby which I’ve decided to turn into a business.”

The vehicle has similar controls to that of a car, with brakes and gear changes, but there are also features more akin to a motorcycle, such as handlebars for steering and a throttle.

It will seat three adults and a small child or two adults and two children.

Passengers will be asked to wear helmets and safety clothing.

An intercom system is to be installed in the helmets so tour information can be relayed, and to aid communication with the driver.

“The trike is not designed as a superbike - it is built more for the comfort of passengers,” said Mr Potts.

“We’ve taken friends and relatives out on the trike and the feedback from everyone has been very positive.”

Mr Potts will be known to some in the Melton area as the owner of RPM, which supplies bathrooms and kitchens.

His new tricycle business will trade as Midshire Trike Tours, if councillors grant it a Hackney Carriage and Private Hire licence.

Trike tours are already established in a few other parts of the UK, including Yorkshire, Scotland and Wales.

And Mr Potts is confident his will be very popular.

He added: “I’m hoping to start tours by the end of the summer season.

“We will start with one trike but it would be nice to have a fleet of two or three.

“I plan to give tours around the Melton area, but we could also take people to events, and even take grooms to the church for their wedding.”

So it is not specifically for tours then.
Obviously he dos not need a license to take grooms to the church but if heis granted a license with a conditon that it is only used for tours will he then not be able to use the licensed vehicle for grooms?

_________________
Grandad,

He only needs a PH licence, not a hack, or would a special events or street traders one be sufficient

He only needs a Private Hire operators license. We do not have Hackney operators licenses or Special events licenses.
If the committee grant the license but don't put a condition on the license to say that he can only do tours there will be a few complaints especially from my company who have to comply with all the Private Hire conditions to take people to events.

_________________
Grandad,

And where do the other 2 passengers sit if it can carry 4 passengers?

_________________
Grandad,

Does this trike have 3 point seatbelts for the passengers?

_________________
Grandad,

I think they are exempt because they are classed as a motorcycle

p.s. his face looks familiar but can't think where I know him from

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

As a motorcycle they may be exempt but as a private hire vehicle it is in the conditions, along with 4 wheels, doors, windows and a watertight roof amongst other things.
When any of us want to put a vehicle on the road it is our responsibility to make sure that it fits the Council criteria BEFORE buying the vehicle and getting decals put on it sugesting that it will be licensed.
How many different size helmets and sets of protective clothes will he need to buy? How will punters know that the helmet that they are given to wear has not been damaged by dropping it on the floor?
One of the first things to be mentioned in our hand book is the safety of passengers is paramount.

_________________
Grandad,

My concerns that the rear seat at 100 cm long does not meet construction and use regulations for 3 seats were raised as well as the roll over protection not being high enough to give any protection and the use of lap belts instead of 3 point belts were all raised at the meeting and totally ignored.
This now goes out to consultation where I am sure the same concerns will be raised and no doubt ignored again.

_________________
Grandad,