Wheels come off David's plan for 'authentic' rickshaw rides

After watching the success of pedicabs in the Capital, student entrepreneur David Fleck wants to use his Indian-built rickshaw, bought on eBay for 300, as an unusual tourist attraction for trips on and around the Meadows.

His bid for a licence to operate tours, however, looks set to be thrown out on the grounds of safety as the machine has no seatbelts.

Police also say that a new licence should not be granted while a council investigation continues into the death of off-duty soldier Christopher O'Kane, who fell from a pedicab earlier this year.

Mr Fleck, 21, says it is unfair to compare his Indian-made rickshaw with the pedicabs.

Mr Fleck said: "A lot of the pedicabs around Edinburgh at the moment are made in the UK and are character- less big heavy machines.

"What I have got is the type driven in the back streets of Mumbai."

Mr Fleck, who is from Marchmont but is currently studying architecture at Aberdeen's Robert Gordon University, decided to buy the rickshaw after gaining a strong affinity with India during a gap year visit, where he spent a lot of time in rural areas.

Having seen rickshaws used as a primary form of transport there, he scoured the internet trying to find one for himself, and spotted one on eBay after months of hunting.

He paid 300 to the Portsmouth-based seller, who had imported it from India. He wanted to run the rickshaw rides on the Meadows around the playpark area in the summer months, offering short rides to children and families, as well as along George IV Bridge, providing a link for tourists between the High Street and Middle Meadow Walk.

However, council community safety officials have expressed concerns about there being no safety belt for passengers and "insufficient guarding of the mechanism".

In addition, Lothian and Borders Police have said the route within the Meadows "causes concern" as it is a designated jogging track.

In a submission to the licensing sub-committee, a police spokesman said: "The City of Edinburgh Council are currently reviewing pedicab operations within the city following the recent death of a pedicab passenger.

"The board may wish to consider if it is appropriate to grant a licence to a new operator at this time."

In response to the concerns, Mr Fleck said: "Pedicabs have 21 gears and some of them are electronically assisted.

"My rickshaw just has a single gear and there's no way I'll be taking it up Edinburgh's big hills."