DERBY TODAY

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The city council believes using rickshaws to get around Derby could be ideal to increase tourism and wants to lay down rules on how the vehicles would be operated in the city and whether they would need a licence similar to those issued to taxis. Rickshaw firms have previously expressed an interest in operating the vehicles in the city centre and the council says it wants a policy in place in case other companies decide they would like to introduce the vehicles.

Councillors will be asked to consider the issue at a meeting of the taxi licensing and appeals committee. The committee will decide whether the council should approve specific makes and models to stop homemade rickshaws being used and whether they should be subject to annual safety checks. A report on rickshaws prepared by council officers suggests they may be used for travelling within the inner ring road area of the city.

Leader of the council Chris Williamson said he thought rickshaws would provide shoppers and tourists with an unusual way of travelling between the new Westfield shopping centre development and Cathedral Quarter shops. He said, "I think having rickshaws in the city centre is a good idea and they would be very beneficial to tourism. It's something that's a bit quirky and unusual and they would be a big attraction for people. I hope the committee will agree these rules because rickshaws would add a new dimension to the city."

A city council spokeswoman said, "We had expressions of interest from a number of firms who wanted to operate rickshaws in the city. They have since withdrawn their interest but as this is an issue which keeps coming up we decided to put a policy in place in anticipation of other organisations asking about rickshaws in the future." (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, Sep/07)

Derby City Council has agreed to license pedal-powered rickshaw taxis which means that Ram Rickshaws can begin operating in the city centre. Lee Todd, the managing director of Robin Hood Rickshaws in Sawley, wants to offer free, environmentally friendly trips from Westfield shopping centre to the Cathedral Quarter and from the railway station to Westfield. The rickshaws and their riders would be paid for through advertising and sponsorship deals. Mr Todd said he has already had discussions with several key players in the city including Westfield, Ram FM and the Cathedral Quarter improvement team. He said, “Now that the council has agreed to license the vehicles, I am just going back to those organisations now to see if we can finalise deals.” Mr Todd said the rickshaws could be on the streets as soon as six weeks after a sponsorship deal is agreed.

He said, “Once we have the sponsorship we order the rickshaws because they are painted in the corporate colours of the sponsorship company and have their logo on the roof and wheels. That takes about six weeks and then we seek the individual licence for each rickshaw, which takes a couple more weeks.” Mr Todd said he wanted eight rickshaws in Derby. Giles Harwood, vice chairman of the Cathedral Quarter management group, said: “I'm sure this new service will be positively received by the business in Cathedral Quarter and this novel mode of transport will forge stronger links between the Cathedral Quarter and Westfield and will encourage greater circulation of visitors and shoppers around the city centre.” (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, Jul/08)

Lee Todd's rickshaw service was given a private hire licence but Derby City Council has confirmed that it did not need one as, by law, only motorised vehicles require them. Councillor Margaret Redfern, chairman of the council's licensing committee, said the matter raised questions about public safety. The authority says it issued the licence as a measure to protect passengers and to prevent rogue companies from setting up similar ventures. She said, “Public safety must be the first priority. By not having a licence there are no checks to ensure the vehicle is fit for use. Knowing that a service is licensed gives members of public reassurance that it is safe.”

The council is now reviewing the situation and is looking into whether Mr Todd’s business needs to be licensed, or other regulations imposed, to ensure health and safety issues are adhered to. A spokeswoman for the council confirmed that it issued Mr Todd with a private hire licence knowing that unregulated rickshaws operate in other cities. The authority was forced to question whether it had properly applied licensing law after receiving questions from Mick Hildreth of the professional drivers’ branch of the GMB union. He was told by the council that legal advice had been sought before the licence was issued. (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, Jun/09)

The city council is giving people the chance to decide on the possible relocation of the Derby Ram statue in East Street. Under improvement plans for the surrounding area, East Street would be resurfaced and, in order for the work to take place, the statue would need to be removed. The council is using the opportunity to find out if residents would prefer to see it in a different location.

Council leader Chris Williamson said, "We don't want to see the statue disappear altogether. I personally think that it should be moved to a more central location in the city. But whether it should stay in the same place or be moved to somewhere else in the city is something that we want people's views on." The city council decided to keep the Derby Ram statue in East Street after receiving a strong response from the public against the idea of relocating it. (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, Dec/06)

The £2.1m refurbishment of a city centre pedestrian area has fallen behind schedule because the city council said the work was not up to scratch. New paving and trees are being put in as part of the scheme to improve East Street, Albion Street and Exchange Street. Work started in April with the aim of completing it ready for the opening of the Westfield Derby shopping centre extension but a report to the council's cabinet, giving an update on the work, said that the scheme was three to four weeks behind schedule.

Council leader Chris Williamson said the delays came about because the council had not been happy with the standard of some of the paving work carried out by contractor Tarmac. He said, "Both the council and the contractors agreed that the work on some bits of the paving was not up to the standard we wanted. This is public realm money being spent on the project, so obviously we want it to be of a top quality which will enhance that area ready for the opening of Westfield."

Malcolm Amatt, the council's project manager for East Street, said, "These problems occurred because of the heavy rain we had, particularly in June and July, which meant work was slowed down. Also, putting down blocks in rain is not ideal and meant some bits had to be relaid. It is a normal part of a contract like this and overall we are happy with the work that has been done and are still set to be finished before the opening of Westfield shopping centre, which has always been our goal." (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, Aug/07)