Als es bekannt wurde dass Manganese Bronze, der Hersteller des traditionellen Londoner‘black cabs’ bankrott sei, bedauerten es viele. Nur wer sich wirklich mit London auskannte, wusste, dass es ein gutes Omen war. Die schwarzen Taxen sind bisher ein schwarzer Fleck für die Gesundheit der Londoner. Was nicht im Taztext steht:
- Manganese Bronze und die London Taxi Internationals Firma wechselten mehrmals Besitzter und Teilhaber. Am Ende war die chinesische Firma Geely einer der Hauptteilhaber
- Die Welt der Londoner pferdegezogenen Droschken kurz vor den motrorisierten Taxen kann man am besten (aus Pferdesicht) in Anna Sewells’ Roman ‘ Black Beauty’ nachlesen oder dessen Verfilmungen nachsehen.
- Zu andere Maßnahmen des Bürgermeisters die Taxiluftverschmutzung zu reduzieren gehören (lautder TfL “Strategie für saubere Luft in London”): Bestimmte Reifen und Gangschaltungen, die sich weniger abnutzen, Ökologisches Fahrtraining aller neuen Fahrer (Option für bereits zugelassene), Anregung den Motor im Stand auszuschalten. Management der Warteschlangen an Bahnhöfen und Flughafen (insb. Heathrow) durch “taxi-marshals”
- Schwerste Dieselmotoren: Die Taxen der TX Serie waren zuerst ein Nissan Motor. Später war es ein Ford Transit Motor, sowie ein Chrysler Diesel Motor wie in Jeeps (VM Motori R 425 DOHC Diesel , Chrysler 545RFE, und Eaton FSO 2405.Bereits 1989 gab es ein alternatives ‘moderneres’ Taxi, nämlich das Metrocab. Die Firma wechselte zweimal die Besitzer und die Herstellung war unter anderem für 14 Monate unterbrochen. 2006 wurde die Herstellung entgültig eingestellt.
- Es besteht die geringe Möglichkeit, dass verschiedene Firmen Manganese Bronze aufkaufen werden und beschließen die Herstellung wieder aufzunehmen. Es ist allerdings fraglich, ob die Firma trotz des Ikonenstatus des Taxis, mit den für heutige Londoner Umweltverhältnisse untauglichen Motoren gegen die Taxen von Nissan und Mercedes ankommen könnten. Allerdings werden bis 2027 für die bestehenden Taxen der TX Ersatzteile gebraucht werden.
- Ein von mir geschriebenes Profil zweier Taxifahrer erschien in der Taz im August:https://dzx2.net/2012/08/03/die-tageszeitung-taz-die-meisten-kunden-sind-exzentriker-most-customers-are-excentrics/
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When Manganese Bronze, the company that manufactured the London black cab TX4, most newspaper articles, even those appearing in British papers, failed to question, whether beyond its iconic looks, the taxis the company produced were worth saving. In an euphoria of sorrowful commentary it was in some of the readers comments that one could read about issues with fuel efficiency, exhaust emissions and the noise these vehicles created. My article in the Sonntaz, the Sunday magazine supplement of the Taz newspaper discusses, if the demise of Manganese Bronze as producer of the London Black Cab was in deed ‘bad news’ for London. The taxi’s iconic status acknowledged, the TX Series with its heavy Diesel engines (Ford Transit and Jeep based) actually means that these Taxis constitute 1/3 of the NOx London air pollution (even today). I speak to one of the partners involved in the design of a new hybrid hydrogen / electric taxi for London, the general secretary of the largest organisation representing cab drivers, those who mange the transport infrastructure in London, London politicians and environmentalists. The results indicate clearly, the TX cab although traditional in design and loved by many because of that, should since a long time have been radically modernised. Those steps taken by the company alongside an alternative energy consortium proved too slow to save the taxi and the company.
- Drivers View: Earlier in August 2012 I published in the Taz (Olympic supplement) a profile of two London black cab drivers, known as London cabbies: https://dzx2.net/2012/08/03/die-tageszeitung-taz-die-meisten-kunden-sind-exzentriker-most-customers-are-excentrics/
- Not included in text: I also spoke with UNITE representing the workers of Manganese Bronze in Coventry and the London Cycling campaign. Their responses are noted here: UNITE: “The London taxi is iconic and the staff who build them are highly skilled. The black cab is part of Britain’s car manufacturing heritage and we expect the company and the administrators to do everything possible to secure the future of this Coventry–based company. Unite has met with the senior management today and the union has pledged to assist staff and the company to support a swift resolution to the current funding gap. Manganese Bronze is the last car manufacturer left in Coventry. If it becomes necessary the government should step in to support the company and protect the highly skilled workforce.” London Cycling Campaign (Gerhard Weiss LCC): “Black cabs are very common in central London. Because they are allowed, like cyclists, to use bus lanes and need to stop frequently on the kerbside there is potential conflict with cyclists that’s a problem. Black cabs also contribute to air pollution which affects cyclists and pedestrians. However, I don’t think either of these issues is related to the cab manufacturer and both could be tackled with better regulation. Clearly zero emission vehicles would be ideal and should be feasible these days.”
- An English translation can be ordered on request and for publication purposes only.
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dzx2.net - Daniel D. Z. Zylbersztajn - Lewandowski 
John Bradely who appears in the article couldn’t resist writing some advertisement in his right: I include it here fully as written. Daniel Z
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