A Scottish company could stand to lose $1.9-million after an Island taxi group put the brakes on importing some 40 wheelchair-friendly taxis ? set to have arrived here in the New Year.

Lamjid Associated, who were importing the taxis to Bermuda and selling them to drivers, blame the strength of the Pound and severe import duties for their decision.

Lamjid Associates spokesman, Dennis Hollis said yesterday it would cost about $50,000 to bring in one of the new wheelchair-friendly taxis and not a single driver on the island was willing to pay that much.

?When we first looked at bringing them to the Island in March this year, there was a lot of interest, but with the British pound gaining strength, it?s just not worth it, not when you can put a car on the road for under $30,000,? he said.

Mr. Hollis said they would only reconsider bringing the special taxis to Bermuda if the pound dropped.

He quickly added that Lamjid Associated had not signed an agreement with Cab Direct, the supplier, but that it was just a verbal agreement.

Should the taxis ever make their way to our shores, they could become the predominant taxi on the Island and help hundreds of disabled to get mobile.

There is currently one Peugeot E7 taxi in operation on the island.

Earlier this year the Scottish-based company, Cab Direct which is also the UK?s leading taxi supplier, beat rivals world-wide to win the $1.9-million deal to supply the fleet of wheelchair-friendly taxis to the island.

This would have been the company?s first major overseas business, but by late yesterday afternoon, the company was still unaware that Bermuda was no longer interested.

In an earlier interview, Cab Direct?s national operations manager, Bill Parris said the company had expanded to create 55 new jobs at their Glasgow plant to deal with the demand.

Mr. Parris travelled to Bermuda earlier this year to deliver the first of these special taxis and said he was amazed by the interest.

According to him Lamjid Associates had carried out extensive research around the globe on the range and availability of wheelchair-accessible vehicles before placing the order with Cab Direct.

The Peugeot E7 Special Edition taxi is equipped with the new Easy-Glide underfloor ramp which simply pulls out from under the passenger floor to allow easy access into the vehicle for wheelchairs.

The taxi also puts a stop to fare-dodgers with locking devices on all doors and a safety mesh between driver and passengers for added safety.

Lamjid Associates was formed in March this year to import the taxis and the drivers who set up the company include Dennis Hollis, Herbert Carey, Bruce DeGrilla, Janet DeGrilla, Kenneth Joaquin, Millard Lightbourne, and Anson Simmons.