LONDON TAXI RULES ANNOUNCEMENT SECURES MIDLAND’S FIRMS FUTURE
20 December 2005 - LTI Vehicles

London may have just lost its red Routemaster buses after 51 years but following a ruling this week the iconic black cab, the London Hackney Carriage, is now set to be a part of the capital’s scenery for years to come.

This is good news at the end of a difficult year for the beleaguered Midlands vehicle industry that has seen MG Rover go out of business; Jaguar production curtailed at Browns Lane and LDV commercial vehicles applying to go into Administration today.

LTI Vehicles and Metrocab, the UK’s only manufacturers of purpose built London style taxis, are based in Coventry and Tamworth. Their purpose built taxis will now remain the symbols of London’s licensed Hackney Carriage trade.

For LTI Vehicles, the much larger of the two manufacturers, it is welcome news for the company that employs over 300 people and produces around 2,600 taxis a year.

The future of the London Taxi has been under review for nearly two years because Transport for London’s Public Carriage Office has been holding a review of their Conditions of Fitness.

Allied Vehicles Limited, a taxi manufacturer whose vehicles fail to meet the Conditions of Fitness regulations, forced the review.

The regulations that govern the London’s taxi industry are widely adopted by other licensing authorities throughout Great Britain. This week Trafford, near Manchester, has adopted a London style taxi only policy as has Northampton, Liverpool and Greater Manchester in the last two months.

In 2002, the Public Carriage Office undertook a full review of the Conditions of Fitness that was completed in June 2003. Some changes were made while other conditions remained the same.

However Allied Vehicles challenged three aspects of that review.

The three aspects reviewed again were, the 25 feet turning circle requirement; the requirement that sliding doors should be power assisted and the requirement for a one-piece rear window.

This week the Public Carriage Office, following extensive research said, it has been decided to retain the turning circle requirement, not require sliding doors, if fitted, to be power assisted and to introduce a new Condition to address the issue of visibility into and out of taxis for the benefit of passengers and drivers.

Roy Ellis, Head of the Public Carriage Office, said: “After a comprehensive review, it was found that the tight turning circle produced tangible significant benefits to the travelling public, and that these outweighed the advantages of removing it.”

He added, “Allied Vehicles alleged that the retention of the turning circle requirement led to fewer taxis, higher fares, less suitable taxis for the needs of the disabled and the unavailability of safer and more comfortable taxis to the disadvantage in general of passengers and drivers alike. The facts of these alleged disbenefits were not borne out by the research undertaken.”

“Approximately 50 million U-turns and over 90 million other tight turns are performed by London taxis each year. If these U-turns were replaced by multi-point turns and other alternative complex manoeuvres, this could cause delay and impede other road users.”

“Overall during this review, both passengers and drivers preferred the existing London Taxi,” said Ellis.

A spokesperson for the London Taxi Board, which represents taxi operators and drivers, said, “We welcome this announcement and Transport for London have upheld the highest standards for the best taxi service in the world.”

Peter Shillcock, Managing Director of LTI Vehicles from Coventry, who manufacture the TXII London style taxis said, “We welcome the reinforcement of the original decision in June 2003 that the Conditions of Fitness for London Taxicabs will be enhanced not weakened.”

“The Conditions of Fitness are one of the key regulatory pillars upon which the world-renowned London taxi service is built. Another key pillar is the Knowledge test for drivers. Both combine to produce a high standard of driver who knows all of London’s streets and a recognisable; accessible; durable and manoeuvrable vehicle. That is a vehicle that is the best tool for the job.”

“LTI is proud to play its part in providing a world class vehicle fit for its purpose.“

Miles Better News Agency

More News
  For December 2005
  From LTI Vehicles
  For Taxis
  Driver247.com Home Page