Leicester hackney driver Majeed Ahmad is finally back on the road after a six week absence.  And Majeed's crime? Daring to buy an alternative taxi - even though his local council said he could!

In October LTI resorted to court action to block the council's move to approve an alternative modern taxi for licensing. Unfortunately for Majeed, his new pride and joy ended up being stuck in limbo as he was banned from the road, with Leicester City Council forced by LTI and its lawyers to undertake a further review of his individual case.  Only now this has been completed has Majeed finally been able to join Nigel Brooks as one of only two drivers currently allowed to use alternative taxis in Leicester.

A relieved Majeed commented: "It's been a very frustrating time for me especially as not being able to use the vehicle came on top of an enforced absence from work at the beginning of the year."

Majeed, who suffered a heart attack in January, was left to sit at home unable to work - not because of his illness, from which he has fortunately made a full recovery - but because he couldn't get a licence for the modern vehicle he had purchased in good faith.

"Four years ago I started a campaign aimed at getting Leicester City Council to review its policy on taxi licensing," recalls Majeed.  "Drivers in Leicester were getting tired of the LTI monopoly due to factors such as the high maintenance and parts replacement costs.  The majority were 100% behind my campaign."

Majeed's efforts finally came to fruition in September when Leicester's licensing committee voted unanimously to recommend approval of an alternative taxi.

When the full council endorsed the licensing committee's decision, Majeed and Nigel Brooks were first off their marks in placing orders for the modern-style black cabs.  Subsequently Nigel's taxi was first passed and plated, while Majeed was stopped in his tracks for several weeks by the injunction sought by LTI and Swift Taxis, which succeeded in preventing the licensing of any further alternative taxis, pending further investigations by the council. LTI and Swift originally wanted both Nigel and Majeed to be refused licenses, despite having already invested in changing over to their new vehicles.

Majeed added:  "I simply couldn't understand this decision.  My fellow drivers all want the right to choose the best vehicle for the job and our own council say they are happy with the modern-style taxi."

"All LTI are doing is delaying the inevitable, so they can protect their monopoly as long as they can."

"I've driven taxis for the last ten years including Fairways, TXs and Metrocabs. In my opinion there's no comparison between these vehicles and the modern alternative cabs.  I'm saving between 25-30% per week on fuel costs alone," explained Majeed.

"Even though my own situation has finally been resolved I'll continue to campaign on behalf of the other drivers who want the opportunity to drive a more fuel efficient and cost effective vehicle.  Also, Leicester prides itself on being the first environmentally friendly city in the UK so why are we not allowed to drive taxis with lower pollutant emissions?"

More information on our range of E7 taxis can be found here.