Green light for tourist tuk-tuk tours

Richard Evans, local democracy reporter

Sightseers will soon be able to sit back and enjoy tuk-tuk tours of popular Welsh holiday destinations, after a private hire licence was issued to the business partnership behind the idea.

Trips around Llandudno, Conwy, and Rhos-on-Sea are on the cards after Conwy’s licensing committee met to debate the safety and speed of the three-wheeled vehicles.

A tuk-tuk is a three-wheeled motor-assisted bicycle with passenger seats at the rear and are used as a cheap and accessible form of taxi service, popular in countries such as Thailand and India.

Business plans

The applicants, who were only introduced to the chamber as Gary and Diane, told councillors of their business plans.

Gary explained, “We thought it would be a unique way for tourists coming to Llandudno, visiting and going round the Orme, showcasing the stunning views from the Great Orme and probably a novel way of doing it, just something very original that I got excited about last year.

“We thought we’d just put that idea forward, and hopefully something positive will come out of it.”

Diane added, “It will be a joint venture. We will be running the business together, and both of us will be operating the tuk-tuks. We would initially start with two because we have done a fair amount of market research, and we do think there will be a demand for it, but we are not going to go silly and get a fleet. But we will both be responsible for driving the tuk-tuks and doing the tours.”

Cllr Andrew Wood then referred to a list of specifications in the licensing report, citing that it was advised that tuk-tuks remained at a 30mph limit, if the report indicated the vehicles could travel 10-15mphs over that.

Cllr Wood argued that if that was the case the vehicles should be mechanically restricted to 30mph.

But both the applicant and licensing officers explained most vehicles and licensed drivers had the capability to exceed the speed limit and that it was up to drivers to be professional.

Diane responded that the company would be keeping to the 20mph speed limit.

Views

She said, “We are doing tours and planning on going nice and slow so they can look at the views and beautiful vistas.”

Cllr Wood asked if the applicants had driven a tuk-tuk before. Cllr Wood said he had in India and that they were difficult to drive on account of them being three-wheeled.

Gary said he wouldn’t be picking up tourists without practicing first.

He said, “We will probably do about 50 laps locally until we are confident before we even consider picking customers up.”

Cllr Keith Eeles then said he’d seen an episode of ‘Top Gear’ in which Jeremy Clarkson had driven a tuk-tuk.

“It (the vehicle) looked like it tipped over very easily. The front wheel will jam, and obviously the back end is still moving and will tip over with momentum. So I can understand it is a skill to drive one of these. I’m not sure I would like to go 65km an hour in one of these personally.”

But councillors agreed that the tuk-tuks should not be mechanically restricted and granted the licence.