Plymouth City Council
ʻEmission Impossibleʼ?
By Roy Hamilton
Carbon Footprint... Carbon Transfer... British Central Government LAs around the country are introducing various
Carbon Purchase... Global Warming... Emission Standards and are concerned for our
Climate Change... Political Correctness... Local authorities can also implement their own colleagues, and ourselves, regarding the legality
Emissions! schemes to control vehicle emissions in areas of such policies with the resulting unjustified cost.
of poor air quality. We have, therefore, written to an MEP
The European Union has issued Directives on who has answered that EC Directives are
vehicle emission limits for new vehicles. The All local authorities are required to monitor air not retrospective and we are currently
Department for Transport section responsible quality in their areas and if this falls below the awaiting a formal answer from the European
for taxis and private hire has issued Taxi national air quality objectives, they may declare Commissioner for the European Commission
and Private Hire Vehicle Licensing: Best an Air Quality Management Area and take for the Environment. As Wirral and Plymouth
Practice Guidance: action to meet the objectives. This could have learned back in 1986 it is better to have several
consequences for your business. For example, complaints to the European Commission rather
Environmental Considerations
the local authority may decide to impose charges
than two, so if you are concerned please write to
for vehicles with higher-emissions levels.
your MEP and let us know at royhamilton123@
Local licensing authorities, in discussion with
btinternet.com . We look forward to hearing from
those responsible for environmental health
Check with your local authority for advice
you in the affirmative.
issues, will wish to consider how far their vehicle
on what is happening in your area. Find a
licensing criteria can and should support any
contact for your local authority using our
In Plymouth we are aware that taxi proprietors
local environmental policies that the local
Contacts Directory.
are naturally apprehensive when dealing with
authority may have adopted, bearing in mind the
their LA as the LA holds taxi proprietors and
need to ensure that the benefits of any policies
PCC insist that Plymouth is a very clean city
drivers livings in their hand. In London, drivers
outweigh the costs (in whatever form). Local
with very little air quality problems.
were paid 20p per job through the Fare Table for
authorities may, for example, wish to consider
three years to pay for updating vehicles.
setting vehicle emissions standards for taxis and
Through reading the PCC Report on their
PHVs. However, local authorities would need to
adopted policy and various trade press we
We submit that in Plymouth emissions are
carefully and thoroughly assess the impact of
have become aware that this is a growing
caused by a small Airport; the National
introducing such a policy; for example, the effect
phenomenon throughout the country. Is it
Fireworks Display; various Air Shows; a cross
affecting you? Are you satisfied with your LAʼs
channel Ferryport; a gigantic bus stop on
on the supply of taxis and PHVs in the area
Policy and its effect upon your taxi trade?
the main road called Royal Parade that is a
would be an important consideration in deciding
quarter mile long... it could prove unpopular
the standards, if any, to be set.
Here in sunny Plymouth we are not; we fully
and expensive to improve the foregoing but
support our Licensing Authority in cleaning
those terrible taxis must be cleaned up – WHY?
Our friends at Plymouth City Council have
up the environment in a reasonable manner.
Through licensing they are easy to victimise; it
decided that as the Licensing Authority they
Our policy is that when a vehicle is licensed in
ticks all the boxes with no cost to the LA, the
must comply and set their own standards
Plymouth it is licensed for the life of the vehicle.
Authority obtains brownie points from Central
for vehicle emissions – only for taxis you
When a replacement vehicle is presented for
Government thereby releasing funding; and, it is
understand. After all, private hire cars cost
licensing it must meet the current standards that
above all...
half the price and are therefore fairly new and
are, at the time, LA Policy. We do not accept
already comply. Taxis, on the other hand,
retrospective conditions and specifications. POLITICALLY CORRECT.
purpose built, and in this writerʼs opinion,
unlawfully imposed upon the trade in 1983, are
We have become aware that several other Copyright Roy W. Hamilton Secretary, P.L.T.A.
a bit older but gradually being updated.
PCCʼs own vehicles are being updated through
leasing at cost to Ratepayers, no problem there
then? Oh Buses, PCC has just sold the bus
company so are not interested in the old buses
which make Plymouth 98
th
on the emissions list
of bus companies.
When researching the implications of the Best
Practice Guidance, which is not law, and the PCC
Policy we came across several interesting ʻfactsʼ.
Euro Vehicle Emission Standards
All new vehicles must comply with strict EU
vehicle emission standards, known as Euro
standards. Four pollutants are covered: carbon
monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and
for diesel cars, particulate matter. The current
standards are Euro 4 for cars and light vans
and Euro V for heavy duty vehicles. Note that
car and light van standards apply to the vehicle
Raleigh Street Rank Plymouth
model, whilst heavy duty standards apply to the
engine used (not the vehicle itself).
Image Copyright Roy Hamilton
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