London’s transport system could be boosted and its congestion eased with the introduction of a futuristic rickshaw service, according to an automotive design student’s twenty-first century vision for the city.
Coventry University student Sherazam Tiwana, 22, has come up with a concept for an electric-powered three-seater rickshaw that would form part of the Transport for London (TFL) network, accepting Oyster card and operating throughout the city’s six zones.
Sherazam, who created the concept for his final year automotive design project, was inspired by the popularity of the rickshaw in his home country of Pakistan, and by the flexibility afforded by its ability to offer commuters a bespoke drop-off location – a service which would pitch it into direct competition with the famous Coventry-built black cabs.
The London rickshaw’s advantage would be its relatively small size, light weight and low running cost, which – if supported by the government in the same way as other TFL services – could help keep prices down for the commuter.
Sherazam’s London rickshaw concept is currently being exhibited in Milton Keynes at the headquarters of the government-backed Transport Systems Catapult, which is run by Innovate UK and exists to promote research and development around intelligent mobility.
