IN THE NEWS
CAMERON MEETS NEW CHINESE OWNERS OF ICONIC TAXI COMPANY
It’s not often you see Prime Minister David Cameron hitching a lift in a London Black cab - especially one that is destined for the streets of Shanghai. Mr Cameron inspect- ed the traditional hackney vehicle last month during his trade mission to China. He met Li Shifu, chair- man of China’s biggest vehicle manu- facturer Geely, which now owns the Midland makers of London’s famous black taxis, Manganese Bronze Holdings.
According to the Shropshire Star, after the meeting, the Prime Minister said: “Black cabs are synonymous with London. Getting one in Shanghai today highlights how the links between the UK and China can bring rewards for both - Chi-
UK COMPANY ROLLS OUT POTATO SCENTED TAXI
David Cameron in a London black cab with Geely Chairman Li Shufu
nese investment help- ing British business to succeed and grow.” Earlier, Mr Cameron promised to create a “partnership for growth and reform” with China.
The PM, who earlier had met Chinese Pre- mier Li Keqiang, also pledged to put his “full political weight” be- hind a proposed EU- China trade agree- ment. He said that the
UK and China had “deep complementary economies.” During the visit Geely also announced their aim to develop a fully- electric version of the car within five years. Mr Shufu had previ- ously discussed the idea of electric taxis in London with Boris Johnson at the Beijing Olympic games. Mr Johnson supported the idea.
FREE WI-FI FITTED IN 25 MANCHESTER BLACK CABS
First came the buses, then trams – and now taxis have joined the free wi-fi revolution for the first time in Man- chester.
The Manchester Evening News reports that the service has been rolled out across 25 black hackney cabs as part of a permanent ad campaign run by Microsoft. The chosen cars have ‘Free wi-fi’
signs on the side. Dubbed Cab Connect, the project is man- aged by an advertising agency that sells space on taxis on behalf of independent cabbies.
Because most pas- sengers are in a cab for less than 15 min- utes, it works quickly with no passwords. Microsoft gain by hav- ing advertising around
the cab, part of a wider campaign for Office 365. It comes after passenger surveys showed they wanted wi-fi and charger points.
Charger points are not being ruled out if an advertising sponsor can be found. The roll- out, in partnership with two other compa- nies, is part of a wider scheme, with 400 wi-fi taxis in London and 20 in Edinburgh.
The ad agency sought permission from Man- chester City Council - one of ten authorities to have given the green light.
Free Wi-fi inside Manchester taxis Picture courtesy M.E.N
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There are 1,200 hack- ney carriages in Greater Manchester, 300 have advertising space for sale. Council officials say the scheme could be rolled out across more cars.
There’s nothing quite like the mouth-water- ing taste and smell of an oven-baked jacket potato, so McCain designed a so-called “Jacket Taxi,” which does just that. Recent- ly finishing a six-city UK tour, passengers enjoyed a free ride and were offered a piping hot jacket pota- to, made in the taxi, at the end of five-minute journey - the time it takes to cook the McCain Ready Baked Jacket.
The production of the taxi took five weeks to complete and several potato designs were considered for the giant steaming Ready Baked Jacket which sits on top of the taxi. It was adapted inside to house the cooking facilities needed for
‘Eating on the Run’ that takes on new meaning
the perfect McCain Ready Baked Jacket in just five minutes, as well as featuring a flip down tablet screen from the roof. In addition, McCain’s potato experts recre- ated the warm delicious scent of oven-baked potatoes which was emitted
from the giant jacket potato on the roof of the taxi, according to the company. This allowed passers-by to enjoy the appetizing aroma of warm jacket potatoes as it traveled through London, Birmingham, Man- chester, York, Leeds, and Bristol.
CAMBRIDGE YELLOW CAB IS BACK ON ROAD
A cabbie has been reunited with his beloved yellow taxi - more than three months after it was stolen.
The Cambridge News reports that Graham Parr, 59, was devastat- ed when his Mercedes Vito III taxi was stolen from outside his home in Cambridge Road, Ely, in September. Offenders also made off with two pairs of Mr Parr’s prescription glasses, two pairs of prescription sunglass- es, a DVD player, a satellite navigation system, a first aid kit, fire extinguisher, taxi meter, CDs, DVDs and radio, which were all inside the vehicle at the time.
The taxi was discov- ered at an address in Suffolk, by a fellow taxi driver who spotted it in a driveway while drop- ping off a passenger
Picture courtesy The Cambridge News
Graham Parr is reunited with his yellow cab three months after it was stolen
earlier last month. Mr Parr, who has been a taxi driver for more than 30 years, has now been reunited with the vehicle - and
everything that was inside it, apart from the DVD player and the sat nav.
A police investigation is ongoing.
PHTM JANUARY 2014
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