COMMUTERS on one of the busiest road and rail routes in Scotland are being offered an alternative after the launch yesterday of the UK's first commercially-run combined bus and taxi operation.Well it's certainly time for the introduction of the jitney into the UK. This is the only way to get most road commuters onto public transport. The proposed service is to operate every 10 minutes for 20 hours per day; collecting commuters from their homes and taking them back again at night. Who wants to stand at a windswept bustop in the Scottish winter?
Naturally, taxi drivers are unhappy:
However, private hire drivers criticised the new scheme. John Aitchison, a partner in Ace Taxis, based in Dunfermline, said several private hire firms had formed an action group to seek legal advice and complain to the Office of Fair Trading.OK, let the taxis advertise but full marks to Stagecoach for enabling Fifers to read the paper on the way to work rather than cursing the interminable queue at the Forth Road Bridge.He said they were unhappy that Stagecoach's taxibuses were allowed to advertise their name and number on the outside of the vehicle when private hire drivers were not allowed to do so.