The National Limousine and Chauffeur Association has reported ‘significant progress’ following another meeting with government officials.

The association recently met with VOSA, the Police and the Department for Transport in London where they discussed an accord on possible legislation governing the safe and legal operation of vehicles up to and including eight passenger seats, and from nine to sixteen seats.

Full details of the meeting will not been revealed until proposals have been placed in front of the minister. The NLCA feels it will soon be able to offer definitive and specific advice on both the current interpretation of the rules, and also major changes which will occur early next year affecting both up to eight passenger and nine to sixteen passenger limousines.

The gathering follows a successful meeting some months ago in Bradford when the association and agencies met in Bradford to start off the discussions on licensing.

A limousine company has become the first to be granted a licence from South Norfolk Council to use its stretched limo as a taxi.

Stretched limousines were previously barred from being used as taxis because of safety concerns. The only exception was for weddings, funerals and contracts for no less than seven days duration.

But last year the council decided to change its policy and allow them to operate for private hire.

Lee Tutton, from Diss, who runs L&S Limousines, had been trying for more than three years to get his vehicle licensed for private hire and applied for a licence as soon as the council changed its policy.

He said he was delighted his Millennium white stretched limo was approved by the council following stringent checks and tests.

Mr Tutton, who together with his wife Sue has fostered 65 children, said the rigorous checks would help uphold public safety. “This was not about the extra work,” he said. “I was the only limo operator in south Norfolk to have the full CRB checks because of our role as foster carers. I am really pleased the council has decided to start licensing limos in this way as it will help to make the industry safer.”

Sue Thomson, chair of the council’s licensing and appeals committee, said: “We have had applications in the past but have had to turn them down because of concerns about safety. Safety is our first priority. At a meeting last September we agreed that the licences should be approved subject to stringent tests and checks to make sure the public are protected.”

Commissioned and designed by US Autos with the collaboration of VOSA it has taken almost two years to bring a Hummer H2 up to COIF standards – and now a certificate is expected to be issued imminently.

The complete re-design and redevelopment by some of the UK’s best bus and coach engineers has resulted in a number of changes which are unique to this vehicle and has made it the first Hummer in the world to be bought up to these standards.

The vehicle was recently seen brake testing a MIRA where a team of trained engineers spent several days monitoring the vehicles stopping capabilities along with testing turning circles which all proved successful.

When the vehicle has received the thumbs-up from the COIF testing station, the H2 will be recognised as an EU approved, Class M3, COIF’d PSV minibus which will allow it to carry up to sixteen passengers safely and legally.

Just some of the work has seen a new steering system and parts of the front suspension being re-designed and new parts manufactured. The brake system has been modified with an electromagnetic brake retarder installed on the prop shaft and fully integrated with the ABS system.

The new design weight is 6050kgs and all steering and suspension components are certificated and signed-off for this weight and approved by VOSA and VCA.

In accordance with 2006 regulations, a speed limiter to 100kph is fitted. The stretch is 180” and the major bodywork changes include raising the roof by 5” and increasing the size of both rear doors to 1210 x 530mm so either door may be used as the emergency exit.

Peter Fusco from US Autos commented; “We have cut no corners in adapting this vehicle. We have been working closely with a senior test inspector from VOSA who has been acting as the official consultant on this project from day one. We are excited about this project which I feel is going to move the industry forward and will obviously prove invaluable for any operator.”

Standard vehicle specifications include sixteen side facing seats, disco floor with custom carpeting, full width bar across partition, second bar next to emergency exit, reversing camera and coach monitoring camera with driver’s roof mounted drop down screen.

It is also fitted with PlayStation 2, karaoke machine, smoke machine, large ice box replaces front passenger seat, under car lighting with colour changing and sequencing, lights with driver only controls, all bars and edge lighting, three 9” flat TV screens, Limotouch system and dual alternators/ air con/ batteries.

Orders now being taken with a build time twelve weeks and are priced at £115,000 + VAT. They are available in any standard Hummer colour – non standard extra. Full three year warranty and a full spares support with finance packages available.

Orders have apparently been flooding in for the first Hummer H2 which is planned to receive a COIF certificate in September.

By Leo Leonidou

The Director of a limousine company has called on the authorities to grant the vehicles a temporary licence allowing them to operate stretch-limousines on the island.

At present, the Road Transport Department has not licensed any of the vehicles, as there is no legislation in place governing cars measuring over six metres.

Angelos Assiotis is the head of Cyprus VIP Services, provides clients with limousines, yachts and helicopters for hire. Along with Cyprus Limousines and Limos Cyprus, a fleet of 11 Chrysler, BMW and Lincoln cars were brought to Cyprus last August.

“We have been in discussions with the Road Transport Department regarding the possibility of being granted a temporary licence until the relevant legislation was passed.  However, they have been dragging their feet and keep referring us to other departments and stalling.”

He added that the company wanted to operate legally and would do whatever is necessary to secure the relevant documentation.

The companies’ stretch limos have been in circulation, but Assiotis said he has now ordered them off the road after the police started to clamp down on the situation.

“Two of our cars were recently impounded by officers,” he said.

He attributed part of the clampdown as coming from pressure exerted by the island’s 2,000 taxi drivers who fear limousine companies will take business away from them.

“They shouldn’t worry as we are aiming for a completely different type of customer wanting to hire a limo for a special occasion such as a hen or stag party, wedding, anniversary or birthday. We have a vision and that includes higher class tourism.”

He also said Cyprus is the only EU country without a legal, regulated limousine service. Stretch limousines are regulated under EU law but Cyprus is yet to harmonise with the provision.

“It’s a shame. The government should congratulate us, not make life difficult for us,” he stated.

“We are very proud to be Cypriots but our leaders need to share our vision and look to the future. I feel as though we are sometimes living in a third world country.”

Director of the Road Transport Department, Soteris Kolettas, hit back at Assiotis’ claims.

“We have been in discussions with all interested parties for a while now and have prepared draft legislation in record time, which is on the way to the Attorney-general for approval before going before Parliament.”

Kolettas confirmed that limousines are not allowed to legally circulate on the roads as they are not registered motor vehicles, which are also not in possession of insurance cover as public service vehicles.

“If they have been on the roads, they have been acting illegally and that is a matter for the police to deal with.”

Key figures within the limousine industry have claimed the crash testing of a limousine on primetime TV as ‘unrealistic’.

Motoring programme Fifth Gear recently aired the crashing of a 1993 Lincoln Town Car against a solid wall at 50mph to ‘highlight the importance of seatbelts’.

If anyone knows anything about limousine safety it’s Gregory Beck – Gregory is the engineer who handles most of Krystal Enterprises’ safety compliance and has overseen its crash tests for many years. Last year, Krystal was the first company to crash test a Chrysler 300 limousine with impressive results.

After watching the crash test, Gregory couldn’t believe some of the points which were raised in the feature.  Gregory told European Limousine News; “This was not the first high speed crash test of a stretch limo – as stated.  They have been performed for many years by the builders and by Ford and GM.’

He added; “The impact speed used in the video into a concrete barrier involved over 200% of the energy involved in hitting a parked car at highway speeds.  The reason it looked like such a bad crash is that it was.  It would take some pretty irresponsible driving to accomplish this in the real world.

Krystal follows US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 201 by making certain that all necessary interior surfaces are rounded and/or padded so as to make them safer if a passenger impacts them.  Also the glasses are of a safety type and fracture in a safe manner.

Gregory summed up by commenting; “Krystal, and the limousine manufacturing industry in general, continually stress that limousine occupants (no matter what direction their seat is facing) must wear seat belts at all times.  This goes for any passenger car, stretched or not.”

Other people within the limousine industry had views on the footage – Ian Laidler from limospares.com pointed out how well the 1993 limousine actually coped with the crash test.

“It is clear even this old limo, after years of hard use and countless million miles on the clock still met the requirements of QVM crash testing. I feel this is something that they should have celebrated more than they did. It is also quite clear that even at 20mph faster than QVM test, it’s still a very strong construction.” Ian commented.

Ian also believed changes were made to the vehicle to make the footage ‘more dramatic’. “I would suggest some of the rear seat mounting brackets have been loosened or removed to add to the dramatic effect for TV purposes as they would certainly not come out that easy. Just ask anyone who has had their seats re-upholstered – they’re usually secure them in with extremely long American style self-tapping screws which are difficult to remove.”

Robert Strauser, AKA Limo Bob told us; “I do believe stretching cars does actually enhance the structure of it. Think about it, when you make a limo, the frame inserts right into the original frame, so from a direct frontal impact. I can see this limo holding up, but if the limo is longer, the impact would have had a more forceful impact due to the weight.

“If you get hit from the side, it might be a different story. I have seen crashes where the frame really holds up very well. Some coachbuilders care and do it right, some cut corners. Unfortunately, you find out who builds right, and who doesn’t, when it is too late and the accident has happened. No one regulates all the coachbuilders that pop up all over the USA and parts of the world.”

A few days before the crash test which was held at the MIRA testing facility, the makers contacted various limousine operators, suppliers and The Chauffeur magazine in an attempt to learn how the industry is governed and wanted a representative to attend and comment on the wreckage after the crash. After concerns that testing an older model limousine would do no good for the industry, the invitation was not upheld.

Arsonists torched a limousine company just days after one of its cars was involved in a fatal motorway crash.

Twelve limousines thought to be worth around £1million, were destroyed in the blaze at Just Limos in Dagenham recently. It happened two days after one of its limousines was involved in an accident in which a two-year-old died.

Its been said two people were seen loitering by Just Limos before the fire broke out in the early hours of the morning where eight fire engines and 40 fire fighters battled for almost five hours to control the blaze.

A spokesperson for the police said: “We are investigating an arson attack at an industrial unit used by a company called Just Limos. Police from Barking and Dagenham were called by the Fire Brigade at 12.48am. Evidence of an accelerant was found at the premises. There were no injuries.”

The burnt out cars are limousines such as Hummers, Harley Davidson’s, and Chryslers. After the fire the unit the company used was declared unsafe by the Fire Brigade.

A spokesperson for the London Fire Brigade said: “Two of the units on the site were completely gutted by fire. Another unit was partially damaged.

The owners of Just Limos did not want to talk about the incident and commented; “I just want to get on with our lives.” The cause of the blaze is under investigation.

In another incident – A terrified mother has told how she and her children ran for their lives when their limousine company was also targeted by arsonists.

Lyn Thompson runs 1st Choice Leisure in East Bergholt with husband Phil. She said the attack – which left a blazing car right next to their home – could have put the lives of their young children in danger.

It is the second attack on a limousine company in a week. Two weeks ago the owner of BKPlimousines in Barham drove a blazing car out of a line of vehicles to stop them all catching fire.

Last Tuesday’s attack happened while Mr Thompson was out working in one of the company’s two limousines.

Mrs Thompson had put their daughters, aged eight and four to bed in the family’s bungalow. As she went to bed, a limousine parked just feet from the bedroom became engulfed in flames and she had a race against time to get them out of the house.

Mrs Thompson, 40, said: “It was very frightening. Whether they waited for my husband to go out or it was a coincidence I don’t know.

“I had just got into bed and I heard a noise and thought it was a door. I wish I had looked outside because I might have seen something. There was a whoosh and then my bedroom was glowing orange.

“My fears were for my children and my first thought was to get them out. We had to go down to the end of the garden and were worried the car would explode.”

Fire crews called to the scene managed to put out the flames before it spread to the house, but the car has been destroyed after being set alight in three places.

Mrs Thompson added; “We have absolutely no idea why someone would target us. It was so dangerous, we just can’t get our heads around it. They put people’s lives at risk. To set fire to a 30-foot car in front of a bungalow just beggars belief.”

But the couple vowed they will not be beaten and said other companies have rallied round to help ensure they can meet their bookings, including school end-of-year proms and parties.

A Suffolk Police spokesperson confirmed the incident is being treated as arson.

A Bradford-based limousine operator has been fined £14,200 including costs after a series of extremely serious irregularities were discovered.

Mohammed Saleem Nawaz, who trades as Oasis Limousines Ltd, received the £10,200 fine plus £4,000 costs for a range of offences including driving without insurance, fraudulent use of registration plates, fraudulent use of Vehicle Excise Duty and not having a PSV operator licence or a Certificate of Initial Fitness (COIF). Mr Nawaz also had 31 points endorsed on his driving licence at Leeds Crown Court earlier this month.

The defendant originally claimed he had attempted to obtain an O-licence but this was disproved and he then stated his intention to make an application in due course. He was instructed to repay the debt at a minimum rate of £500-per-month, and warned that failure to do so would almost certainly lead to a prison sentence.

It was only after an exceptional hardship case was fought that Mr Nawaz escaped disqualification. He is also due to face proceedings for further offences, again relating to a failure to obtain the correct PSV licences and O-licences and associated offences.

VOSA’s Head of Traffic Enforcement Policy Neil Barlow said: “Although we are more than aware that the majority of limousine operators conduct their business in a safe fashion, VOSA will continue to crackdown on the reckless minority who put the public at risk in this way. The fines imposed show just how seriously we take this issue, and this was an exceptionally good piece of work from our team in Leeds.”

“VOSA is continuing to work with the Police, Department for Transport and industry groups to ensure safe operation of this type of vehicle. We advise members of the public to check at least the following points prior to making a booking. Does the driver hold a PCV driving licence and has he been screened by the Criminal Records Bureau? Does the vehicle contain basic safety items (first aid kit, fire extinguisher)? Do the forward-facing seats have seatbelts? Anyone in doubt should call VOSA’s hotline on 0870 60 60 440.”

Thousands of chauffeurs gathered recently for yet another record breaking Royal Ascot week in Berkshire.

For the first time, chauffeurs were offered refreshments and a place to meet in the biggest car park dedicated to limousines. The Chauffeur magazine and the Chauffeur Drive ’07 teams offered free refreshments to the industry, and certainly had their work cut out.

More than 1100 teas and coffees were served, over 30 large gateaux were consumed and another 800 pre-registrations were received for the forth-coming Chauffeur Drive ’07 in September.

Also, on display at the Drive ’07 marquee was a Maybach 62 which chauffeurs took the opportunity to discover, along with a Mirage luxury people carrier supplied by South-East Coachworks based in Kent.

Paul Gibson, Managing Director of The Chauffeur magazine commented; “It was an excellent week, and I am really pleased that chauffeurs and limousine drivers enjoyed our hospitality.

He added; “It was also great to meet so many from the industry who also gave their support to Drive ’07 and gave us a great opportunity to talk with them about their work and the future of the industry. I would like to thank Eddie and Neil from A1 Stretch for supporting the hospitality this year.’

The event was busy as normal, except for the first day which was said to be the quietest first day of the races for many years. However, ladies day was just as expected as around 500 limousines gathered in car park eight.

Krystal UK has displayed its latest offerings in the car park this year, as it boasts its newest models sold with SVA certificates.

Nick Clarke from Krystal UK commented; “The Royal Ascot was an ideal opportunity to show for ourselves the quality of a Krystal limousine. Even though we receive excellent publicity on the work we do, many still do not realise the time and effort which goes behind these vehicles.

It was also a record year for largest operator A1 Stretch limos based in Hemel Hempstead. The company supplied 38 vehicles for ladies day, but the Friday proved most popular with 44 limousines being hired for private parties.

The world’s first stretched Ferrari limousine is finally on the road and soon to be handed over to its lucky owner, Danny Cawley from Style Limousines in Manchester.

The Chauffeur magazine has been following the whole build process of this unique vehicle and now the time has come to see the final touches made to the limo and prepared for the hand-over.

Chris Wright from Carbonyte UK based in Bournemouth has been the brains behind the project and tell us how the project is going to date…

The modified sections of this super car were built from Carbon fibre to maintain stiffness over the increased length and to keep the weight to a minimum. The interior of the car is accessed by the two huge gull-wing doors which are electrically opened via a remote opening system and passenger interface.

The centre console is a full length carbon fibre moulding incorporating the air conditioning
vents and three Kenwood LCD screens, switchable between front and rear camera views. Each carbon fibre bucket seats have a five point harness fitted for safety and to add to the Ferrari Limo experience.

Alcantara ceiling and three hides of finest Italian leather complete the interior trim, complimented by brushed stainless steel sills with the Ferrari logo cut into each entry. The outside of the Ferrari limousine has been finished in the original black and hand worked to a mirror finish, complimented by accents of carbon fibre and a huge carbon fibre rear spoiler.

Danny will be adding deep dish black and chrome rims to the car to complete the ‘stealth’ look. Driving experience Road testing the car is an experience, not just from the reaction of people in the street, but the driving experience itself.

Chris Wright commented; “You have to be prepared for all the swear words imaginable and the words ‘sick’ is often shouted at you. Girls love this car and they always take the opportunity to chat you up at the traffic lights (which does the ego a power of good).

He added; “The car, if parked up is immediately swamped with amateur photographers with mobile phones, and once a minibus load of Italian students stopped and drooled over it, sending pictures of them stood next to this ‘creation’ back to the home of Ferrari, to show everyone what those Brits have done!”

The team found driving the limo was a pleasant surprise as it isn’t a handful like expected. The gear change whilst in automatic is as ‘confused’ as it was before the conversion, but in manual mode using the paddle shift system is positive and exciting to use.

The acceleration is shattering as with the minimal weight increase and with that thoroughbred engine, the difference from before and after is simply not noticed. Another surprise is the cornering as you can put this car through roundabouts at impressive speeds and the car feels very stable and comfortable due to the Carbon fibre chassis, and the length of the car is not imposing at all.

The current down sides of the conversion according to the team are not being able to see out of the rear view mirror due to the spoiler and the carbon chassis is very stiff and does not absorb the lumps and bumps in the road like the original aluminium chassis did, so the ride is harsher.

Also, the addition of sound deadening throughout the cabin has lead to the forward passengers not get the full aural experience of the Ferrari’s engine’s note. However, there are plans to put this right at a later stage.

This build for Chris and the team at Carbonyte has been a challenging one, but the finished results will undoubtedly blow everyone away when this super car is launched.

Chris would like to thank everyone involved in creating this vehicle, and especially Danny Crawley for having the vision and the patience to commission such a radical conversion and all the team at Carbonyte UK wish him well with his new ‘toy’.

Tristar has appointed DaimlerChrysler Fleet Management (DCFM) to provide 21 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Elegance models.

Based near Heathrow airport, Tristar is the UK’s largest chauffeur drive company and one of the world’s leading chauffeur organisations, carrying over 400,000 passengers for 400 clients, in 38 countries last year alone.

They offer a consistently high level of doorstep-to-destination chauffeur services across the UK, and have offices worldwide. They directly employ 700 staff with a fleet of 600 vehicles across operational hubs in London and Manchester.

Tristar had previously favoured outright purchase, but DCFM was able to offer a favourable contract hire agreement over 30 months.