bye bye tuc tuc bye bye

9:45pm Friday 18th January 2008
Europe's first fleet of tuk-tuks has reached the end of the road in Sussex.

TucTuc Limited, the firm behind the three-wheel motorised rickshaws, has told The Argus it will not be returning to Brighton and Hove and could suspend plans to launch a service in London.

The pioneering bid to bring a mode of transport more associated with South East Asia to the south coast of England has been hit by "outdated" laws forcing the vehicles to operate under a bus licence, executive director Dominic Ponniah said last night.

The company will give up its right to run the rickshaws at a public inquiry on Tuesday when the Traffic Commissioner will consider whether the firm breached its licence last year.

Mr Ponniah said: "Unfortunately, it is felt by the company's management that the archaic legislation under which we are governed is no longer appropriate to operate under.

"We will be attending the public inquiry next week and will resign our operator's licence with immediate effect."

This is the second time Mr Ponniah has faced a public
inquiry for breach of his licence.

The first resulted in a £16,000, halved on appeal, after the service failed to meet its bus timetable.

In 2007 the colourful rickshaws were relaunched as a dial-a-ride service and included new six-seater vehicles.

But the operation was stopped suddenly in September in a surprise move, although Mr Ponniah said he always planned to call a halt for the winter.

As a result Tuc Tuc Ltd now faces another sizeable fine from the Traffic Commissioner after it was alleged it did not give 56 days notice before shutting.

Mr Ponniah said the bus licence under which he had run the service was inappropriate for tuk-tuks as it was too rigid and the potential for further fines too great.

He added that it was impossible to secure enough taxi permits to run a profitable business.

He is now calling for a change to the law which would allow motorised rickshaws to operate as a cab but in a limited area.

He said: "We have been pioneering and we haven't had the experience of other people running a similar service.

"We were trying to stretch the legislation to fit us. We tried and to that extent we failed."

The firm will look at whether a new policy being drawn up for pedicabs in London can be extended to tuk-tuks.

Plans for a service for the Edinburgh Festival and operations abroad, including in Estonia, are also being looked at.

Mr Ponniah said: "It is with great sadness that we will not be re-opening our Brighton and Hove service, at least for the foreseeable future.

"As a company, we now wish to focus our attention on setting up services in other cities and countries, with more flexible and sensible licensing regimes."

The tuk-tuks have faced stiff opposition from taxis in Brighton and Hove who have complained the vehicles were not sticking to the bus licence and put passengers at risk.

City councillor Ted Kemble, speaking in a personal capacity as a taxi driver, said: "I have never felt that they were in competition with us.

"But given their safety record it is probably good they are not coming back."

Mr Ponniah has consistently dismissed safety concerns.

Since the Brighton and Hove launch in 2006, other, mostly smaller, operations have been started by competitors around the country.

In Blackpool, Robin Ross has secured the right to operate tuk-tuks as private hire vehicles with some extra restrictions.

Mr Ross said he sympathised with Mr Ponniah's difficulties and is also calling for a change in the law to make it easier for tuk-tuks to operate.

He added: "People have said that this guy is doing something good for Brighton and good luck to him.

"I could not have wished for more support from the licensing department at Blackpool council."

David Lepper, MP for Brighton Pavilion, said: "As a tourist attraction for the seafront it added a bit to Brighton but it was never to be taken seriously as a transport network."

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• tuctuc
• tuc
• brighton

[barongold]

Tuc tucs in Brighton was a brilliant idea, as a hop on hop off taxi you can just flag and use. They would be a tourist attraction cheap to run and ride, but no...another triumph for the city counsil who want everyone to use the crappy busses.

[ROCKsquareANORACK]

yes i have nothing positive to say for the council and i work for them short sighted with big pockets

i certainly dont feel vauled or respected by my employer

[LetsGoProductions]

absolutly LOVE the song

[ROCKsquareANORACK]

song is Slow Down by Jack Earls recorded in May 1956 at the legendary SUN Studios in Mephis Tenessee

[edwardwhite70]

Don't you just love that era of music? And the cars of that era, too. I think American design of cars peaked in the late 50's and after the early 60's. It was all blah from then on.

[ROCKsquareANORACK]

"Rock and Roll has been going down hill ever since Buddy Holly died" John Milner, American Graffiti

[johnmiller112]

dangerous unlicensed drivers unlicensed vehicles should never be allowed ever get a real taxi be safe

[kattiiss]

ja kanske nya bilen på landet

[sanggarD5]

i love TIC TAC

[lh53tow]

I love tuc tucs I think they will be back.

[LifeJourneyGuy]

Thanks for the video and all the info in the vid notes . . . I've always been a "think outside the box" kinda person, and it drives me nuts when people won't look beyond regulations and restrictions, and let something like the tuk tuks have a welcomed presence in Brighton. Think about how different San Francisco would be if they decided to get rid of the cable cars!!