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Tuk Tuk Ltd, the brainchild of entrepreneur Dominic Ponniah, has been running a fleet of auto-rickshaws in the seaside town of Brighton since July, 2006. The fleet, imported from Pune, runs on compressed natural gas (CNG). Now the company is all set to introduce the vehicle in London. Transport for London, the organisation responsible for transport matters, is considering an application for a fleet of auto-rickshaws to operate in the West End. The company has applied for a permit to run three-and six-seater taxis from a base in London Bridge. The company has applied to run a London service between 8 a.m. and 4 a.m.daily. The fares are yet to be decided. The auto-rickshaws would not be allowed to pick up passengers in the street but only permitted to transport people who had booked in advance. The auto-rickshaws imported by the company from India have a stronger chassis, cushioned headrests, reinforced exits and seat belts to improve safety. They also have TV screens showing news and adverts. Each auto-rickshaw allowed to operate in Brighton was tested to satisfy the requirements of the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency. The service has been welcomed by most people in the town, but invited some criticism after a few accidents. The service was opposed by local taxi drivers who saw a threat due to cheaper fares offered by the three-wheelers. The service was also opposed on the grounds of safety. Ponniah’s company has plans to expand its service across the rest of Britain and Europe in 2008-09. The company says that the service provides tourists, shoppers and visitors with a safe, economical and environmentally friendly means of getting around the city. The super-low emission vehicles have been specially imported from India and run on CNG, making it a virtually zero-emission mode of transport. The vehicles are also very compact, helping to ease congestion. — IANS
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MADE
in India auto-rickshaws, better known in the west as ‘tuk tuks’,
could soon be plying on the streets of London if an application by a
company to run a fleet in the West End is successful.