Student hopes his design for '21st century rickshaw' could ease London transport congestion

“Rickshaws are hugely popular in developing nations, including in my home city of Lahore, but it’s tempting to think of them simply as tourist attractions in London.

"That wouldn’t be the case if a polished product built to the appropriate automotive standards was introduced. People are increasingly conscious of carbon emissions and would appreciate the flexibility that rickshaws offer. My concept would be safer than bicycles and smaller and more agile than taxis, so they would be the perfect compromise to ease congestion on the streets of London.”

Mr Tiwana said his electric-powered, three-seater rickshaws would be able to carry wheelchair users and would have coloured LEDs in the wheels to indicate if it was free.

Other features include a hydrophobic plexiglass windscreen to repel rain and a Uber-style app to call a rickshaw to a GPS location.

However, one potential obstacle to Mr Tiwana's vision is Boris Johnson, who revealed he was far from a fan of the vehicles in May when he announced he wanted to crack down on "unsafe" rickshaws in central London.

The Mayor of London said he was seeking new powers to regulate pedicabs because they were responsible for clogging up roads in the West End and are a potential hazard.

Black taxi groups have previosly gone to the courts in an effort to get them banned.

Currently there are around 650 rickshaws – or pedicabs as they are often known – operating in London, a number which fallen from over a thousand in recent years.

Mr Tiwana's London rickshaw concept is currently being exhibited in Milton Keynes at the headquarters of the government-backed Transport Systems Catapult.