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First London taxi is turning heads
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By MartinW at 2007-12-13 21:23
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March 27 2006
First London taxi is turning heads
A London-style taxi is plying for trade on the streets of a West Sussex community for the first time.
Until recently, Arun District Council, in the Littlehampton area, had never licensed a traditional "black" cab.
But after Ellen Carter and husband Michael invested in a bright blue TXII just three months after buying Barnham Station Taxis, in Barnham, passengers can now hail a purpose-built taxi for the first time
Serving the village communities between Chichester and Worthing, the fully-wheelchair-accessible, six-seater Hackney carriage has proved to be an instant hit with passengers.
"In business you need to have the right tool for the right job. If you are a taxi firm, that means having a vehicle that was built to be a cab and that’s what the TXII is," said Ellen, whose parents ran the firm for 38 years before she and Michael bought it late last year.
"It is great for security, has a small turning circle which is good for pick-ups, it drives very well and the driving position is better than a normal saloon car. It’s also very comfortable.
"The reaction from everyone has been really positive. It is really turning heads as it is the only one in the area we serve.
"We are delighted with it."
Michael added: "I have recommended it to other drivers already. People love the comfort and it is great from our point of view.
The LTI Vehicles taxi even caused a stir with the local authority when Ellen and Michael took it down to be licensed.
"We asked the company to bring it down to a meeting and we liked what we saw. It is a very nice vehicle," said Glenn James, licensing officer with Arun District Council.
"We have had a few enquiries in the past about licensing black cabs so we might see a few more around now."
Barnham Station Taxis has a fleet of ten vehicles, mainly saloon cars. They bought the silver-specification TXII from Bexhill-on-Sea-based Smith and Humphrey, the official south-east dealer for LTI Vehicles.
Sales Manager Colin Case said: "Ellen and Michael said they had no other model in mind when they decided to add to the fleet.
"The latest TXII with the improved suspension and better ride is getting a great reaction from both drivers and passengers alike.
"The reaction from the council shows that they too think it is the right vehicle for the job and want other drivers to buy a purpose-built taxi rather than opting for saloon cars or converted vehicles."
To find out more about the TXII and Coventry-based LTI vehicles, log-on to www.lti.co.uk
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