A planned Airport limousine service has been dropped after a furore over its introduction.

Stephen Martin, who had been granted a licence to run a new combined bus and taxi service, has now shelved the plan which upset existing transportation operatives at the airport.

He said he was disappointed that his intentions had been mis-read but didn't want to cause any trouble.

The upmarket service would have primarily featured taxis, together with two buses -- offering visitors a choice between taxis and buses based on shared transportation and price.

Mr. Martin believed the venture by his Bermuda's Small Properties Ltd., would have increased business for taxi drivers.

Taxi drivers were upset at the licence approval, fearing it would diminish their incomes, and one businessman was angry at the move as he had tried and failed to set up an Airport limousine service.

The Bermuda Industrial Union also voiced concerns on behalf of its taxi driver members.

"It is regrettable,'' said Mr. Martin. "We worked very hard to get the licence and we put together a full proposal, we did a lot of homework and we thought the concept we had was a good one.

"Unfortunately we didn't get the word out there quickly enough. We certainly didn't want to hurt the taxi drivers, we felt we had a better way of utilising them.

"The application was submitted according to the regulations required by the Public Service Vehicles Licensing Board. I was not aware of any other applications that were submitted or rejected.'' Mr. Martin also moved to quell any rumours connecting his venture to former Transport and now Health Minister Wayne Furbert.

He said: "I don't know where that came from, but it is totally inaccurate. I own Bermuda Small Properties 100 percent.'' The limousine licence is on hold for now but he didn't rule out a new tourism-related venture in the future.

AIRPORT FLY