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  The Tuk Tuk that John put up was mine and that's me in the Indian gear! I had the vehicle for several years and only sold it a couple of years ago as I wasn't getting the chance to use it any more. I was a part-time taxi driver in Dover for Star Taxis and then County Cars and asked the then licensing officer about using the Tuk Tuk to collect Cruise Terminal visitors and take them on tours of the town, along the sea front, up to the Castle, Western Heights etc. The answer was that I wouldn't be given a licence for the vehicle as it didn't meet the criteria set down for a taxi - size of vehicle, number of doors and so on. I was told that I might get a bus licence for it but I would then have to publish a timetable and have regular fare stages. As I had (and still have) a full-time job this was a non-starter so I abandoned the idea and Dover lost out! I continued to use it for occasional weddings, school proms and rallies with the National Autocycle & Cyclemotor Club (www.thebuzzingclub.co.uk) of which I am the local Section organiser.
  
  The Tuk Tuk is now in service as a taxi in Portsmouth where the licensing authorities have a more enlightened attitude to alternative transport. It was so successful that the new owner bought four new vehicles in addition to mine and the venture really took off.
  
  As for the Brighton venture, a guy called Dominic Poniah had a fleet of a dozen Tuk Tuks painted in various colour schemes and had students driving them to a timetable with a published fare structure. Unfortunately, the Brighton taxi trade took a dim view of his success and he gave up the unequal struggle after a couple of seasons.

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