Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
|
London Transport (uk.transport.london) Discussion of all forms of transport in London. |
|
LinkBack | Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#14
|
|||
|
|||
New London Taxi
In message , neverwas
writes The only reason that the TX has a monopoly is because alternative vehicles simply were not bought in enough volume to make a profit. That was frequently because they had more problems that the FX/TX range. Whether the Merc will be able to continue remains to be seen Is there any talk yet of issues of recognition/branding with the Vito or anything else other than TXs? Until now the distinctive shape of the vehicle has been a pretty good guide to it being a licensed taxi. (I suppose Prince Philip, Stephen Fry et al may have had to get used to people waving at them - or possibly trying to open the doors at traffic lights.) In contrast there are plenty of other vehicles including many private hire vehicles which look like the Vito. Will the orange stickers on the early Vitos be a fixture- so we might perhaps end up with London [partly] orange cabs in place of the traditional black? I have seen the new Mercs being passed by as customers didn't recognise them as a taxi, but as more appear that will become less of a problem. There was one opposite reaction I've seen. I was at Heathrow (T2) on night when someone ignored my offer of help with her luggage (I was 3rd turn), passed the first taxi without any comment and then went up to the 2nd cab which was a Merc in the mistaken belief that he was a mincab and would offer her a cheap price to Abbey Wood! She left without a taxi. (And while I'm here, I'm sorry my comment "I don't see what merits the TX4 has over it" was unclear. I have no view one way or the other really; I intended only to offer an alternative to the OP's regrets about losing the traditional style. And, as was manifest, I didn't know about the prospect of manufacturing going offshore.) -- Mike Hughes A Taxi driver licensed for London and Brighton at home in Tarring, West Sussex, England Interested in American trains real and model? Look here http://mikehughes627.fotopic.net/ |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
A new station for London - and article for a taxi magazine | London Transport | |||
London Gatwick Airport Taxi Services [OT] | London Transport | |||
New London taxi signage with roundel | London Transport | |||
Taxi fare from Heathrow to central London? | London Transport | |||
London Victoria to Euston Station by Taxi | London Transport |