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GLASGOW TAXI DRIVERS GET ‘GLIMMER OF HOPE’ AS LABOUR GROUP ‘CALLS IN’ LEZ DECISION
Glasgow taxi drivers have a “glimmer of hope” in their fight to delay the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) roll-out after the city’s Labour group called the decision in.
GlasgowLive reports that Glasgow Labour has written to council chief executive, Annemarie O’Donnell, requesting further scrutiny of the plan, following a late change which allows taxi drivers who can show they are in the process of upgrading their cars to avoid fines when enforcement begins. The SNP administration believes tem- porary exemptions strike a balance between “giving the taxi sector an extended period to become compliant” and tackling the health impact of vehi- cle emissions. The exemptions were approved when the final design of the LEZ was agreed by the city administration committee mid March. However, the Labour group believes the exemption proposal is “vague” and wants the issue to go back in front of a scrutiny committee. The next phase of the LEZ is set to come into force on May 31 but with a one-year grace period for enforcement. Unite the union’s Glasgow Cab Section has said temporary exemptions for taxi drivers are “completely unworkable.” Steven Grant, from the union, said the news of Labour’s letter “came as a relief” but “we’re not that naive to think it’s a done deal.” He said it gave the trade a “glimmer of hope”, adding: “Hopefully the committee will actually look at the facts.” With the LEZ roll-out, the impact of the Covid pandemic on the trade, rising fuel prices and a cost of living crisis, he said: “There’s only so much these drivers can take.” The industry had warned that around 1,000 cars could be forced off the road for being non-compliant when the new rules come into force. Unite has said drivers can’t afford the investment needed, their choice of vehicles is limit-
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ed and cars can’t be replaced or retrofitted in time. Labour’s letter stated the LEZ introduc- tion “continues to attract significant public attention and concern.” It added “very late” proposals to miti- gate the concerns were tabled but the amendment was “vague.” “Further, we are not satisfied that the proposals were sufficiently described at the meeting, nor are we satisfied that officers were in a position to give satisfactory answers to questions. “Far from the intent of the original pro- posal that ‘operators have certainty over the start of LEZ enforcement’, this last minute and vague proposal does the exact opposite.” The Labour letter asks for answers on “the legal, operational and financial implications” of the proposals before it is sent to Scottish Ministers. Their questions include what talks have been held with the Scottish Govern- ment, is there a risk of legal action from
drivers of non-taxis who could prove arrangements in place to achieve LEZ compliance and what ‘a time limited period’ of exemption from penalty charges means. They also ask whether the proposals “adequately address concerns around supply chains and capacity to carry out necessary retrofitting of the taxi fleet”. The letter added: “We recognise that public health is of utmost importance in this debate and do believe that there requires to be certainty for all those potentially affected by the introduction of the LEZ. Therefore, we would appre- ciate that this issue is addressed as speedily as possible.” A SNP spokesman said: “There is no doubt the taxi trade has had a torrid couple of years and the decision taken gives drivers more time.” If the issue goes back to a scrutiny committee, any recommended changes would then need the support of the city administration committee.
GTR MANCHESTER LEADERS NOW WANT CAZ CHARGES SCRAPPED ON ALL VEHICLES
No vehicles should be charged in the new CAZ, Greater Manchester leaders have agreed, as the scheme remains under review. According to the Manch- ester Evening News, in a letter to the Prime Minister, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has called for a ‘non-charging’ scheme which would help fund vehicle upgrades. The bid has been backed by all nine Labour council leaders as well as Bolton’s Conservative leader. It comes after the controversial scheme was paused in March when a new min- isterial direction requiring GM to comply with legal limits on air pollution was issued, delaying the deadline by two years to 2026. Leaders now believe that this can be
achieved without a charging scheme. The cameras could instead be used to identify non-compliant vehicles and signpost them to financial support – but this would require more funding. In the letter, Burnham calls for a non- charging Category B CAZ – which would exclude vans, motorhomes, mopeds and cars completely. He wrote: “‘Any new scheme should be based on incentives for individuals and businesses to change vehicles rather than a charging penalty regime. “‘But, to succeed, this will require your government to agree to the extra financial investment needed to enable vehicle upgrades to happen without the owners incurring unacceptable costs.”‘
APRIL 2022
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