• Allied Vehicles supports local taxi exhibition with Cab Direct E7 despite licensing snub
• Local news stories highlight transport problems faced by wheelchair users

Allied Vehicles, manufacturer of the Cab Direct E7 taxi with tailored wheelchair access, is exhibiting at the Liverpool Taxi and Private Hire Exhibition 2008 at Kings Dock Arena, this week, July 29/30. 

Taxi drivers visiting the exhibition will be able to see the E7 up close this week and find out the many other benefits this vehicle has to offer over a conventional TX4 black cab.  A lower purchase price, superior fuel economy, longer service intervals and modern design are just some of its key attributes.

The decision was taken to support the event, despite the fact that Liverpool City Council’s licensing committee has refused to grant the E7 a Hackney Carriage licence.

BBC TV Northwest highlighted the case being brought against the Council’s licensing committee by wheelchair user Alma Lunt and Cab Direct over their decision to snub the E7.  Disability groups representing thousands of wheelchair users say the E7 offers a far safer and more practical solution to that which currently exists.

The TV footage showed Mrs Lunt take journeys in a London-style black cab and then an E7, to highlight the major problems she faced.  Mrs Lunt was securely strapped in to the back of the E7 while facing forward and wearing the correct three-point seatbelt, something not possible to achieve in a London-style black cab.
Liverpool City Council is being taken to the High Court by Mrs Lunt and Cab Direct over its taxi licensing policy.  The Liverpool Wheelchair User Group is also supporting the judicial review test case.

Gerry Facenna, Chairman of Cab Direct said, “We are delighted to have the opportunity to let Liverpool taxi drivers have the chance to find out for themselves the benefits a more modern and accessible cab offers. With regard to the licensing issue, we’re not seeking special treatment from Liverpool City Council, just a fair opportunity to offer a safer and more convenient solution to the local disabled community. We’re hoping common sense will prevail.”

www.alliedvehicles.co.uk

 

• Liverpool  wheelchair users denied access to modern, accessible taxis
• Research shows many journeys are unsafe for wheelchair passengers
• Allied Vehicles and local disability groups challenge Council  taxi licensing ruling

Leading disability groups across Liverpool are up in arms at their City Council’s refusal to license modern hackney taxis that can be safely used by the entire city’s estimated 12,000 wheelchair users.
If the current policy is maintained, many will have to continue travelling in traditional London-style cabs sitting sideways without wheelchair restraints or seatbelts.  A judicial review test case has been brought jointly by Alma Lunt, Chair of the Merseyside Coalition of Inclusive Living and Allied Vehicles. Allied manufactures the E7 Taxis that were controversially refused a license for Hackney Carriage use by the Council’s licensing committee in March this year.
Opponents say the Council’s decision flies in the face of its own Disability Equality Statement and is in breach of its duties under the Disability Discrimination Act to make “reasonable adjustments” to council policies and practices, so as to enable disabled people to lead a full life in the community on equal terms.
Allied manufactures a range of wheelchair accessible taxis and is the leading supplier of wheelchair accessible vehicles to the UK Motability Scheme.  Its E7 Taxi is licensed in 95% of local authorities around the country, including others in the Merseyside area. Local disability organisations claim the E7 Taxi offers a much more convenient, comfortable and safe transport option for most wheelchair users, particularly those with larger wheelchairs. While it is possible to push a wheelchair into a London-style taxi (the only new vehicle currently available for purchase in Liverpool), limited space in the rear of the vehicle makes it impossible to turn many wheelchairs into a rear facing position where the passenger can be secured. 
Mrs Lunt and Allied have put evidence before the court showing the problem to be endemic: a recent study by Lowland Market Research confirms that, in practice, wheelchair users in London-style cabs frequently travel sideways, in an unsecured wheelchair and with no seatbelt.  This situation presents a severe risk in the event of an accident, sudden stop or sharp turn. 

The Report also shows that in only four out of 100 sample taxi journeys taken in London-style black cabs was the wheelchair turned to face the correct direction of travel. Significantly, an EC directive (2005/39/EC) forbids side-facing seats in any category "M1" vehicles, which includes taxis. By default, many of Liverpool’s wheelchair users have to travel in a manner that would be prohibited were they not disabled.

Modern-style, purpose-built taxis, such as the E7, offer a ready-made and safer solution for disabled users.  Because of their larger and all-level rear passenger area, these vehicles make it much more practical to turn and secure a wheelchair passenger, once inside the taxi. Wheelchair using passengers also have the option of facing forward during travel and there is far more space for colleagues, friends, family members or carers to accompany them.

Liverpool Wheelchair User Group Chairman John Bruce is vigorously campaigning with others across the city for increased choice in taxi design.   “Most other cities can safely have this taxi, so why not us in Liverpool,” says John.  “The layout and facilities of the E7 allow for many more solutions for safe travelling”.

John stresses that the issue is not about driver training and adds: “What cab drivers need is the right tool for safely carrying wheelchair users – that is an alternative taxi.”

The Council claims the wider turning circle of modern cabs would make them dangerous to operate in Liverpool – despite the fact the E7 Taxi operates successfully across most of the UK and in many major cities including Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Newcastle, Southampton and Sheffield.  The Council also criticised sliding doors on modern hackney cabs as a potential danger – but oddly, is happy to license private hire taxis with sliding doors.

In conclusion, Donald Pow, General Manager at Allied Vehicles states, “We’re not seeking special treatment from Liverpool City Council, just a fair opportunity to offer a safer and more convenient solution to the local disabled community. We’re hoping common sense will prevail.”

www.alliedvehicles.com

 

UK’S VERY FIRST ELECTRIC TAXI MAKES DEBUT AT THE  2008 BRITISH INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW 

• Electric taxi helps cabbies beat rising fuel costs, Vehicle Excise Duty and Congestion Charge costs
• Zero emission taxi is available later in 2008 with lower running costs than a traditional black cab
• Transport for London snubs electric taxi

Taxis will be propelled into a new era at this year’s British International Motor Show with the launch of the UK’s very first electric taxi.

Launched by Glasgow based Allied Vehicles which builds thousands of taxis each year, the new E7 taxi appears in the electric pavilion for the duration of the motor show.

The electric taxi will be available from October 2008 and is the result of three years research and development by Allied, which is already looking for local authority partners to install recharging networks locally to help drive down urban emissions.

However, a recent snub by Transport for London’s taxi licensing division, the Public Carriage Office, means the UK’s first zero emission taxi will not be appearing on the capital’s streets anytime soon.

The E7 is powered entirely by cutting edge Lithium-ion batteries which have been developed and supplied by Europe’s leading independent manufacturer, Dundee based Axeon Holdings plc. These give the electric E7 a range of up to 100 miles from a single charge and a top speed of 60mph.

Producing no carbon, particulates or other pollutant emissions, the E7 is eligible for a 100% discount from vehicle excise duty, as well as lower daily running costs.

With rising fuel prices an increasing problem for taxi drivers, the electric E7 is cheaper to run than a traditional black cab*.  Allied’s confidence in the technology is underlined with batteries featuring a six-year warranty and the base vehicle boasting a two-year unlimited mileage Peugeot warranty.

The electric E7 also provides full wheelchair access. Thanks to its large rear-passenger area wheelchair users can enter the vehicle more easily and be turned into the correct position for travel, before being secured safely with high-quality wheelchair restraints and passenger seat belts. 

Each taxi is equipped with retractable side-steps and a specially designed, under-floor wheelchair ramp to further improve accessibility for disabled passengers.

The new E7 taxi combines the comfort and safety required by the modern taxi driver including a driver’s airbag, a feature which is unavailable on traditional black cabs.

 “Taxis and their drivers have a hard life and with the rising cost of diesel at the moment, it is only going to get worse,” said Gerry Facenna, Chairman of Allied Vehicles.

“For the majority of taxi drivers, the key issue when buying a new cab is usually the cost to run, service and maintain their vehicle. In the current economic climate drivers are looking for ways to reduce costs and electric power offers an ideal solution, especially for congested urban areas where traffic is stop-start for much of the day.

“We’ve had a positive response to electric vehicles from many local authorities, both in the UK and in Europe.  However it’s a shame that London looks set to miss out, especially since its famous taxi fleet is currently responsible for 4% of all emissions in the capital,” he added.

The E7 will cost £39,450. To put this into perspective, a London style black taxi based on a TX4 silver automatic is in the region of £35,455 on the road.

ends.

Notes to Editors:
Journalists wishing to drive the new electric Peugeot taxi can do so after the motor show on the 5th of August in London.

*running costs per month for the battery’s electricity are £500 plus VAT. Running cost for a diesel TX4, plus road tax based on 20 miles per gallon is £530 plus VAT.

For further information on Allied Vehicles, or jpeg images, please call:
Steve Carman or Jo Davis on 01628 526208.

For further information about Axeon call:
Ken Cronin / Robert Speed / Janine Brewis at Gavin Anderson & Co on 020 7554 1400

Allied Vehicles Profile
Allied Vehicles Group was established in 1993 and in 2008 it set up Zero Emission Vehicles to launch its range of electric taxis, vans and minibuses. This follows three years of research and development into Allied manufacturing and selling its own new electric vehicle range.

Allied employs 360 people, operates from a 20-acre manufacturing plant in Glasgow and is the UK’s leading specialist vehicle manufacturer of wheelchair accessible cars, MPVs, mini and midi buses.

Allied is the largest supplier of wheelchair accessible vehicles to the UK-wide Motability Scheme and winner of the Motability Suppliers Award 2008. Through its taxi division, Cab Direct, Allied is also the leading supplier of modern-style hackney cabs to the taxi industry.   

Allied has an annual turnover of over £50 million and is constantly evolving to meet the rapidly changing transport requirements for cleaner and more efficient transport solutions.  Part of this change has included an additional 98,000 square feet factory adjacent to the existing production facilities which will be utilised in the production of Zero Emission Vehicles.