Coventry Tuk Tuk plans go into reverse gear following no takers to run the service

The planned introduction of tuk tuks and pedicabs in Coventry has gone into reverse gear as no operators have come forward to run the services.

In the city that produces two of the UK’s most advanced zero emissions taxis, the LEVC TX and Nissan Dynamo, the council had hoped to also introduce tuk tuks to the community in time for Coventry becoming the City of Culture in 2021.

However, with no takers, the project looks to have run out of juice just months before the cultural event begins.

In 2018, Coventry City Council revealed plans to introduce the pedal powered pedicabs and electric tuk tuks. It was hoped the services would operate near the train station and provide an extra pre-booked service to people visiting the city.

According to What’s On Warwickshire, a Coventry City Council spokesperson, said: “The decision we made was to license tuk tuks and pedicabs.

“To date we have had no applications from operators of these vehicles.”

During next year’s City of Culture events, seven Coventry schools will commission seven artists to transform seven new electric taxis, designed and built in Coventry, into works of art.

Each will have a contemporary design on the exterior, and a converted interior, turning these vehicles into travelling gallery spaces, cinemas, stages and street food vendors.

When these taxis come together, in the city centre, in parks, in town squares around the country, they will form The Taxi Arts Centre.