Originally, the carriages were equipped with four wheels; much later, in the 19th century, two-wheeled designs appeared, which had greater maneuverability on London's narrow streets. They were called "cabs". Thanks to technological progress, horse-drawn carriages soon gave way to electric cabs produced by Bersey. However, the innovation did not gain popularity, and they quickly disappeared from London's streets.
Since then, much has changed; horse-drawn carriages were replaced by cars, but their name remained unchanged. Automobile manufacturing developed rapidly. Car production in England had its own peculiarity – vehicles intended for passenger transport were built to a single model, standing out sharply from other cars.
London taxi is something more than the traditional passenger delivery service in other countries. It is a whole culture of behavior, a peculiar etiquette. English taxi drivers honor professional traditions and history.
More than 23,000 taxis are registered in the capital of Great Britain. Their number increases by about fifteen hundred vehicles each year. Taxi drivers, many of whom have devoted almost their entire lives to their work, are not ready for such changes. They are accustomed to driving exclusive cars. According to drivers, Mercedes and Nissan have progressive designs, but at the same time they are too ordinary.
Earlier, a representative of Manganese Bronze Holdings, which produces the iconic black cars for transport services, reported that the likelihood of their products disappearing from London's streets was high. He noted that steering problems had badly affected the company's finances, as they had to recall 400 TX4 vehicles from sale. Manganese Bronze Holdings lost a considerable sum then.
Nevertheless, change is inevitable. It is unlikely that the authorities of the British capital will change their decision, which they achieved with such difficulty. Time will tell how adequate the replacement will be, and whether it will be for the better. Meanwhile, London taxi drivers are preparing to switch to the Nissan Motor NV200 and Mercedes Benz Vito – comfortable minivans made abroad.
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