THE cheers that greeted a new fleet of London cabs when they hit the road two months ago have now turned into complaints.
Wheelchair users who rely on them say that it is hard to book the China-made cabs because they are frequently in the workshop for repairs.
When contacted, SMRT, which runs the service, admitted that its fleet has encountered "manufacturing defects".
It has flown in an engineer from the Chinese manufacturer, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, to advise local mechanics, said Ms Kalai Natarajan, vice-president of corporate marketing and communications at SMRT.
Some of the problems with the new London cabs - 15 of which are plying the road, with 15 more to be added in August - are faulty air-conditioning, dashboards that do not light up and windscreen wipers that stall.
Repairs can take days.
Freelance writer June Hoo, 51, who is paralysed from the waist down, said she has had to miss therapy sessions and appointments with clients because she could not get a London cab.
"My driver would tell me his cab is down and I would have to reschedule my appointment or wait till another cab is available."
