RESIDENTS of a Worcestershire village will soon have a new transport service inspired by India. Terry Clay, from Inkberrow, has become the first person in Worcestershire to be granted a licence to run a tuc tuc supplied by a Bidford-based firm as a private hire vehicle.
The three-wheeled vehicles, with small engines that run on a mix of petrol and gas, are famously part of the street scene of Mumbai. They are capable of achieving up to 82 miles per gallon.
Mr Clay said he came up with the idea after retiring from the motor trade in February. “It’s ideal for running around the village,” he said. “There’s a need for it in Inkberrow. We have a fair amount of the older generation in the village and for those who have a problem walking it allows easy access.”
For a small fee, passengers can use the tuc tuc for trips to and from the village church, post office, GP surgery and pubs or hire it out for special occasions such as proms, weddings, corporate events and even school runs. Mr Clay said he hoped to have the taxi service up and running from Monday.
Graham Simms, licensing unit leader for Wychavon District Council, which granted the licence, said: “It will be useful in that community to have a vehicle that is cheap, accessible and fun. The licensing sub-committee was keen on it being in a fairly limited area. There were letters of support from surgery and businesses alike.
“It was also a little bit because we like leading the way, as this is the first tuc tuc to be licensed in Worcestershire.”