RICKSHAWS could be cycling through Derby's city centre

within two months giving free rides to visitors and

shoppers.

Derby City Council agreed to license the pedal-powered taxis

this month.

It means that the managing director of Robin Hood Rickshaws

in Sawley, Lee Todd, can set up his Derby branch of the

company, called Ram Rickshaws.

He wants to offer free, environmentally friendly trips from

Westfield shopping centre to the Cathedral Quarter and from the

railway station to Westfield.

The rickshaws and their riders would be paid for through

advertising and sponsorship deals.

And Mr Todd said he has already had discussions with several

key players in the city including Westfield, Ram FM and the

Cathedral Quarter improvement team.

He said: “Now that the council has agreed to license the

vehicles, I am just going back to those organisations now to

see if we can finalise deals.”

Mr Todd said the rickshaws could be on the streets as soon

as six weeks after a sponsorship deal is agreed.

“Once we have the sponsorship we order the rickshaws because

they are painted in the corporate colours of the sponsorship

company and have their logo on the roof and wheels,” he

said.

“That takes about six weeks and then we seek the individual

licence for each rickshaw, which takes a couple more

weeks.”

Mr Todd has only one rickshaw in Nottingham at the moment,

but said he wanted eight in Derby.

“This would be great for Derby because, as people arrived at

the railway station, they would see the city had a free and

environmentally friendly way of getting into the centre and to

the shops and it would give them a great impression of Derby,”

he said.

The idea has been welcomed by businesses.

Vance Reese owns the milkshake outlet Shake Out, in the

Strand Arcade, and has a shop in Nottingham as well.

He said: “We advertised on the rickshaw in Nottingham and

think the idea to expand into Derby is great.

“This is just what the Cathedral Quarter needs.

“It is just a great way to advertise and they look great to

passers-by, plus it is eco-friendly.”

Giles Harwood, vice chairman of the Cathedral Quarter

management group, said: “I'm sure this new service will be

positively received by the business in Cathedral Quarter and

this novel mode of transport will forge stronger links between

the Cathedral Quarter and Westfield and will encourage greater

circulation of visitors and shoppers around the city

centre.”