Luton drivers love black cabs

New taxi drivers in Luton have been snapping up the latest version of the London-style taxi after 20 new licences were approved by the council.

The Bedfordshire town has a set number of Hackney carriages – or plates – limiting the supply of taxis.

But after an additional 20 were issued, 13 of the new drivers decided the best way to maximise their earning potential and offer the best ride to passengers was to buy a new, purpose-built TX4 “black” cab from Conders, the official dealership in the area for taxi manufacturer LTI Vehicles.

“We were very pro-active in speaking to the drivers who had the new plates and made vehicles available to them to test drive,” said Paul Stone, sales manager for Conders.

“They were very impressed by the TX4. In particular the comfortable ride and the responsive engine were picked out as particularly good features which they perhaps would not have expected. By having a drive themselves, they saw just how good a vehicle the TX4 is, purpose built for the job, and saw it as the natural option ahead of other vehicles which are converted for use as taxis.

“Purpose-built taxis offer quality and safety to passengers and help present a good image of the town. We are delighted that Luton drivers continue to back us.”

A similar issue of 20 new plates a year ago in Luton saw more than half of the new drivers opting for LTI Vehicles’ models.

Since its launch in October 2006, the TX4 has broken all sales records. More than 2,000 have already been produced.

It retains the classic, instantly-recognisable look of previous taxi models, but has a host of refinements, including a new greener engine, anti-lock brakes as standard and enhanced suspension for a smoother ride.

Matthew Cheyne, Sales and Marketing Director at LTI Vehicles, said: “The majority of these new taxi drivers in Luton have shown, as their colleagues have done before, that they want to offer passengers the safest most comfortable ride possible.

“By choosing purpose-built taxis, they are selecting a vehicle made for the rigours of operating as a Hackney carriage rather than opting for a converted van or a saloon car.”