Our company Acorn Cars Private Hire Taxis are based in Kirkby and was established 12 years ago with four employees. We have now grown to a fleet of 240 vehicles with a back office staff of 16 employees.
Our company is the largest provider of taxis services in the area and we presently complete up to 25,000 journeys per week. Our investment in the latest technologies available to the taxi industry has enabled us to grow to our current size and due to its scalability will assist in any future growth of our company. For comparison our competitor has been established for over 30 years, has a fleet less than half our size and completes a considerable amount of journeys less than ourselves.
We have a wide selection of vehicles from saloons, estate cars to MPV’s. Our MPV’s are licensed to carry 6,7 and 8 passengers and we currently have a total of 23 of these type of vehicles.
We are already planning for the future and should the proposed Tesco / Everton development gain planning approval we have a strategy in place to recruit more drivers which will assist in the growth of our company and will thus help with the provision of taxi services to meet the demand of match day support. We already have expertise in this area as we currently convey passengers to and from both Everton and Liverpool stadia for each home game of the football season.
The first part of our strategy is currently underway and we are expanding our client base in Aintree, Broadway, Croxteth, Fazakereley, Hartley Village, Melling, Norris Green, Sparrowhall, Rice Lane, Walton Vale and Walton Park by placing 48 sheet roadside billboards in and around these areas to both increase custom and recruit drivers from these areas should Destination Kirkby proceed. In addition to this we are also working with agencies such as Reed In Partnership and Kirkby Unemployed Centre who specialise in getting people back into work.
We are also looking at the possibility of investing in larger capacity vehicles (up to 16 passenger seats) to assist with the transportation of supporters on match days should the Tesco / Everton development be approved. We would operate these vehicles to coincide with the increase of match day support to transport people in and out of the proposed development and also to complement the park and ride schemes that have been proposed.
We understand that the transport strategy has been looked at in great detail in order that congestion and disruption to locals is kept to a minimum. Should bus and taxi lanes be installed then Private Hire Vehicles must also be allowed to use such lanes. Designated pick up and drop off points for licensed Hackney and Private Hire Vehicles should be set aside for the pick-up and set down of passengers within both the new complex and the existing town centre layout. The under-utilised car park at South Parade could be used for such a purpose.
Our company already plays a significant role in the mode of transport that local people choose to use and thus we believe we can play an even greater role in developing the local transport strategy to suit the needs of the local community.
We feel that this development is an excellent opportunity to regenerate our town, it will create employment, allow existing businesses to grow and provide much improved shopping facilities for the area. Hopefully this opportunity may encourage local entrepreneurs to invest in the town centre and an improved night time economy may also emerge providing restaurants, bars and leisure facilities.
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