LTI joins debate on so called greener vehicles for Norwich

LTI Vehicles, manufacturer of the iconic London taxi, has joined the debate on which style of taxi should be approved to work on the streets of Norwich.

The company has been making purpose-built hackney carriage taxis in Britain since 1948 and is universally recognised for giving the UK the 'black cab', the icon of the world's best taxi system.

Norwich is currently undergoing a public consultation into which type of taxi should be allowed on its streets and LTI believes that there may be confusion as to the benefits of its vehicles compared to car-derived taxis.

Sales and marketing director, Matthew Cheyne, says the company’s latest model, the TX4, puts other models, particularly those converted from cars, into the shade on a number of issues: “Norwich residents can be assured of our commitment to keeping emissions at a minimum, with emissions produced by the TX4 taxi 50 per cent cleaner than the latest Euro 4 legal limit.

“The current London taxi emits 211g CO2 per km and falls into band F of the Treasury tax band for vehicle excise duty. This is the same tax band as vehicles such as Allied Vehicles' Peugeot E7, which claims it would be bringing greener vehicles to the streets of Norwich. The E7 has CO2 emissions only 13g lower at 198g CO2 per km. In real terms there is no difference between the vehicles' environmental efficiency.

“Added to this, the E7 is much larger than the London Taxi and less manoeuvrable, as it does not have our famous 25 foot turning circle; it is therefore forced to perform more three point turns, which uses more fuel and emitting more CO2.

“Drivers can purchase our TX4 from £26,995. Like its car-derived rival, it also features ABS braking and rear head restraints in both the front and back. We believe our British-made vehicles have something to offer drivers, taxi passengers and the local environment.”