Back-pedalling

11:14am Saturday 16th June 2007

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RIDERS of new pedocab services in York have been warned: "If you pick up passengers, you'll be breaking the law."

The warning, from John Lacy, the City of York Council's cab licensing officer, has caused two new firms seeking to use environmentally-friendly rickshaw-style cycles instantly to backpedal on their plans.

It means, for the moment, the three-wheelers with room for two passengers and a child will need to rely mainly on being used as mobile advertising media.

Mr Lacy, who called the firms in for talks, said: "The council does not want to be a killjoy, but we have to think about the interests of the wider public.

"If they want to pick up passengers from the street and from ranks in the city, they need a Hackney Carriage licence. Unfortunately, in York we issue only 158. There is a lengthy waiting list and we restrict the numbers."

In Cardiff, pedocab operators have got around the restrictions by offering people free trips while a tip (wink, wink) is optional. The three-wheelers were also used there for private hire.

Mr Lacy said the law was vague on free rides or using them as private hire vehicles, although tips could be interpreted as plying for hire.

He said: "It has to be regulated and we are looking into this. We need to know if they are a fit and proper people to ride and pick up people.

"Have they been vetted for a police record? Are they subject to insurance? Are the vehicles roadworthy - because there is nothing in place to test them?

"We need to know whether they are competent to ride with passengers."

He feared the bikes were not suited to York's narrow roads and, if too many of them were allowed to operate, they would clog up the city's traffic.

Mr Lacy's concern was echoed by Alan Rowley, secretary of the York Taxi Association.

He said: "At the moment, we have eight of these vehicles on York roads. If left to multiply, there will soon be 88. Imagine how that will slow up the traffic. What happens if a passenger falls from these vehicles? Will they be covered by public liability insurance?"

Proprietors of York Pedocabs and a new arrival in York, Hop On city cruisers, both said they were "disappointed", but would now rely on advertising to stay on the roads in York.

Both still want a passenger service in York in the same way as pedocabs are allowed in Edinburgh, London and Cardiff, as well as Tokyo, Berlin and Lisbon.

Paul Styles, of York Pedocabs, which has four of the vehicles on the road with two more to come, said: "I have had legal advice and, unfortunately, anything more than a friendly gesture by a passenger is deemed to be for hire or reward. Private hire is also surrounded by legal uncertainty, but I shall be taking registered orders for trips between the Cock And Bottle pub and York Racecourse.

"I absolutely agree with Mr Lacy that there should be safeguards and I am willing to co-operate in any way."

John Stainthorpe, who launched Hop On at the Best Western Monkbar Hotel, York, yesterday, said he was hopeful special licensing regulations will eventually be formulated especially for his mode of transport which will allow them to operate as a passenger service in York.

Meanwhile, his emphasis would be entirely on using his "pedal cruisers" as promotional vehicles.

He said: "But our name won't change. We are still urging advertisers to Hop On, so to speak."