THE OLDEST and largest taxi company in the city has moved into a new high-tech call centre, bringing all its operations under one roof for the first time.

Taxi association Streamline has spent several years planning its new hub on Clifton Hill, Brighton.

The new centre will put the firm at the forefront of technological advances within their vehicles, booking system and smartphones.

Now boasting 360 vehicles and 800 drivers, the company had humble roots as a humble co-operative in 1936, founded by drivers competing against private hire companies.

The model was so successful it was exported throughout the country and it is believed to be one of the first examples of franchising in the UK.

Chairman Dave Smith said: "We've gone from from a very small cramped office to something Cathedral-like. It's a lovely airy building to work in after an 11-month renovation."

The new system makes the most of the customer preferences to use mobile apps and social media to book taxis, which allow them to book online and to easily monitor the progress of their booking.

A new interactive voice platform means when a customer calls it will automatically recognise their address and dispatch a taxi.

The telephonist can view the position of all taxis waiting for jobs and see how far away the taxi is, allowing them to give an accurate estimated time of arrival.

If the taxi is booked online or from the Streamline app, the customer can easily check exactly how far away their taxi is.

They will also receive an automated call-back which alerts them that their taxi has arrived.

The new system is supported by super-fast fibre-optic connections backed up with ISDN and ADSL lines.

The new centre brings the historic Brighton and Hove Streamline operations under one roof for the first time in its nearly 80-year history.