A NEW taxi firm says it wants to shake-up the industry in Bolton — and is offering all new customers a free ride.

Union Cars has been set up by a group of drivers from the Bolton Private Hire Association and is based at the Brownlow Way Mill in Tennyson Street.

The group behind the new private hire firm has said it wants to bring a “much-needed change” to the industry in the borough.

To celebrate its launch, Union cars is offering everyone in Bolton a free ride of up to three miles tomorrow between 6pm and midnight.

One of the founding members of the firm, Usman Ahmed, who is also a spokesman for the Private Hire Association, said: “We wanted to bring a change to the current private hire system in Bolton. We think Union cars will be a professional and reliable service that both drivers and customers in Bolton want.”

He added: “One of the most important things for us is that this company is owned by a group of drivers who will work for the firm — it does not just come down to one person.”

The private hire industry in Bolton has already gone through something of a change this year with the introduction of international smart phone-based company Uber, which has sent its cashless cars out onto the streets of Bolton.

The move prompted anger from the operators of some of the larger firms in the borough at the time and there was indications that a strike could take place, but it never materialised.

The Private Hire Association publicly welcomed Uber to Bolton at the time and Mr Ahmed said it remains firm on the stance that more competition in the industry can only be good for customers.

He said: “There used to be lots of different private hire companies in Bolton but now there are just a couple of large ones and we think there needs to be more competition in the industry. We are all very excited to get going, we have been waiting to bring this change to Bolton for a very long-time.”

Union Cars has said it will be bringing in regular promotional offers like the opening day free ride scheme.

To contact them call 01204 399 399.