Pedicabs Revisited

by John Kennedy

I’m sure many of you have seen the front of the well respected “TAXI” newspaper and were probably jumping for joy thinking that at long last transport for London have seen sense and decided to remove pedicabs/rickshaws from the public highway.

Well sorry to spoil the party but I’m afraid this is old news for at the recent hearings (March 2009) of the opposed bill committee of the house of Lords it was public knowledge that transport for London were scrapping the idea of a licensing regime hence the change to the bill which seeks to introduce a “voluntary registration scheme”. Yes a VOLUNTARY registration scheme that will give the pedicab/rickshaw operator/rider an air of respectability. Couple this with the Westminster City Council pedicab ranks (up to 30 bays) sorry “pedicab waiting areas” and hey presto we shall have a worst case scenario for the working taxi-cab driver.

A pedicab/rickshaw industry with ranks, some with registration plates the majority not, members of the public duped into believing that these objects are in fact regulated/licensed because some will have registration plates. Chaos is about to reign even further on the streets and roads of the capital and people who state they represent you think it is a good idea to allow a bill through parliament that will become a “stepping stone to licensing”. To make matters worse still nobody at transport for London nor the dep’t of transport is prepared to take a pedicab/rickshaw and crash test one to see if it is suitable for the carrying of fare paying passengers, nobody is even the slightest concerned with regards to the use of these objects by people with disabilities, nobody was prepared to inform the opposed bill committee of the serious sexual assault/rape back in 2004. It seems our whole system of governance is prepared to turn a blind eye to the unsuitability of these objects to be allowed to carry fare paying passengers on the public highway.

Presently pedicabs/rickshaws can be ticketed under section 54 of the 1839 Metropolitan Police Act where it is an offence to have a stage carriage being “drawn or driven upon any footway or kerbstone”. So if the Metropolitan Police wish to move or at the very least ticket these objects powers exist that allow them to clear the exits of theatres and pavements of these death traps. I am led to believe that recently some Police Community Support Officers have been doing just that and ticketing the riders that happen to block the bus lane but more importantly the footway/kerbstone outside Hamleys on Regent Street.

Now I read the article in “TAXI” newspaper and was interested to read in the final paragraph and I quote “A Bill is currently progressing through parliament which, if successful, will allow local authorities to issue tickets to pedicabs, licensed or unlicensed which cause obstruction. The pedicab industry is fighting desperately to prevent the Bill from progressing and they are considering a ‘pedal in’ to defend their ‘human right’ to block the streets”. So it seems we should sit back and allow the passage of this bill and subsequent formation of pedicab ranks in the West End and possibly other borough’s, then hope when HM Government get around to it they decide to listen to the LTDA and then ban pedicabs from their newly granted ranks with their VOLUNTARY registration plates. Sorry Bob I’ve read the opposed bill committee record and it seems Westminster City Council wish to work with the pedicab industry and see this VOLUNTARY scheme as a stepping stone to a licensing regime. The point you raise about ticketing also needs clarifying because it seems only those who “register” for the VOLUNTARY scheme will be liable for fixed penalty notices and we shall have to rely on the Metropolitan Police yet again to do what they could do NOW if they had the will or the wish to ticket those that obstruct the pavements.

I like many other taxi-cab drivers have decided to petition against the London Local Authorities and Transport for London (no.2) Bill if it manages to proceed to the House of Commons after a third reading in the House of Lords. Many taxi-cab drivers are seeking support of trade bodies like the LCDC and the newly formed but rapidly growing RMT London taxi branch and will be urging them to petition against this bill. For instead of making it easier for a ban to come in to affect this bill will certainly become a “stepping stone” to further chaos upon the streets and roads of the capital.

Pedicabs/rickshaws are not a safe secure method and mode of transport in a modern first world city like London, they offer no protection from impact and for this reason alone they should be confined to the Parks of the capital where the chance of impact and serious injury is dramatically reduced. The 3rd Way is the only Way and with your help, support and assistance we at www.ltcpr.blogspot.com can start a campaign to do just that and place the pedicabs in the parks where they belong.

John Kennedy, founder of London taxi cab public relations.

photo credit: Thomas the Taxi LTCPR