London’s traditional British-made black cabs could soon be joined by European rivals, according to the capital’s evening newspaper.


The Evening Standard says reports commissioned by Mayor Ken Livingstone – a Tube-riding non-driver who is introducing a £5 congestion charge for motorists – are believed to recommend that 40-year-old strict rules restricting which vehicles can be used as cabs should be re-written.


New Public Carriage Office regulations could see European-made taxis competing for fares alongside London Taxis International’s ‘traditional’ TX models.


Taxi trade sources told the Evening Standard the Public Carriage Office is preparing to put European models on a tightly monitored six-month trial with selected fleet operators but PCO officials denied this, insisting that no decision has been made.


The newspaper added that the Mayor’s office refuses to comment until a second report reviewing the famous 25-foot turning circle demanded of all black cabs is completed this summer.

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Cab drivers have apparently welcomed the proposals which would allow them to choose other models than the two current ‘approved’ models which are expensive to buy and run.


The Evening Standard says one of the two European contenders is a £24,000 Mercedes-Benz Vito van-based 2.2-litre diesel minicoach-style vehicle converted into a sleek cab that can return around 37mpg compared to around 20mpg for the conventional black cab. It seats six passengers, one more than a conventional cab, who board through big sliding doors.


The newspaper said the other contender is the Peugeot, Citroen and Fiat minivan-based EuroCab with two-litre turbo diesel engine and automatic transmission. The £22,500 vehicle is already familiar to taxi users in many parts of the UK having been approved by 240 local authorities, and its fuel consumption is also in the high 30s.


There is apparently overwhelming support among cab drivers for the vehicle rules to be overhauled, the newspaper said.


Rodney Lewis, of drivers’ magazine Taxi Globe, told the Evening Standard: “It is about time there was change. This could be a very good move. Cab drivers should be given more choice but it will be very interesting to see if these new vehicles can take the punishment on London’s streets.


“If they can stand the constant door- slamming and stop- start motoring, I will welcome them into the industry.”


Cab driver and trade commentator Steve McNamara told the newspaper: “We should have the freedom of choice. At the moment we can only choose from one or two vehicles that cost more than £30,000 and that have poor fuel consumption. However, the new vehicles would not have the tight turning circle of the traditional black cab and that can be handy for getting out of tight spots.”


London Taxis International spokesman Chris King told the Evening Standard his company had no objections to new rivals as long as they met the same standards which had not been watered down to suit.


King claimed that when depreciation on the European rivals was taken into account, the traditional black cab would be no more expensive and, with the TX series’ new 2.4-litre Ford DuraTorq engine (a Nissan 2.7-litre diesel was previously specified), the taxis were achieving much better fuel consumption, the Evening Standard said.