GREEN MEANS GO NEW SUGGESTED TAXI RULES
Heading ‘COULD HELP AIR QUALITY’ IN SWINDON
Taxi drivers will be asked for their views on proposals to get them to drive younger cars in a bid to cut pol- lution. Swindon Borough Council’s licensing committee has ag- reed to hold a consultation on a proposal to drop the maximum age of a car when it is first licensed from five years to four. The aim is to help cut emissions and pollution in the town and improve air quality. According to the
Swindon Advertis- er, included in the proposal is that all newly-licensed vehicles must meet a European emis- sions standard, and existing taxis must reach the standard by 2024. While taxi drivers were not against the idea, some feel the burden of cut- ting vehicle emis- sions should not just fall on them. Andy Lucas, chair- man of the Swin- don Taxi Associa- tion, said: “If taxi drivers are being asked to have more
modern vehicles to cut air pollution, should this not also be asked of all other public ser- vice vehicles, such as buses?” The council’s
censing manager Kathryn Ashton
li-
told the commit- tee: “Swindon has an obligation to improve its air quality, and it has to reduce the levels of NO2 as soon as possible.” She said there were around 1,200 hack-
ney cabs and PHVs in Swindon. Mrs Ashton said there were no plans to reduce the upper age limit for taxis, currently 15 years, adding: “All licensed vehicles have an annual MoT check up to ten years, two tests a year between ten and 12 years and then three bet- ween 12 and fifteen. After 15 years we wouldn’t license a vehicle. There are some local authorities which don’t have an upper age limit
but not many.” Cllr Brian Mattock said: “Isn’t the con- dition of a car a better guide than its age? You could have a six-year-old car that has been kept in a garage and has very low mileage, which might be bet- ter than a younger car with higher mileage.” Committee chair- man Vera Tomlin- son conceded Mr Lucas’ point, and said she would ask the leader of the council to outline all it is doing to improve air quality.
WHY SOME TAXI DRIVERS COULD BE EXEMPT FROM CLEAN AIR ZONE LEVY IN BATH
Some taxi drivers in Bath and North East Somerset could become ex- empt from Clean Air Zone charges. Those taxi and PHV drivers who drive WAVs could be exempt for a limit- ed period so that vulnerable people can continue to use their services. According to Som- ersetLive, a report to Bath and North East Somerset Council’s licensing committee says its taxi licensing poli- cy needs to be amended to reflect a proposed con- cession for CAZ
50
charges. The proposal is to exclude non-com- pliant WAVs
the charges until December 31, 2022. The Full Business Case for the CAZ, which includes the concession, was to go before the council’s
cabinet
on January 16 prior to submission to the Defra’s Joint Air Quality Unit (JAQU) for formal approval. The report before the licensing com- mittee says that, following consulta- tion and looking at the impact on equalities, the need
from
for a concession for WAVs emerged. It will ensure that vulnerable people who rely on taxis and and private hire vehicles can continue to access facilities and at- tend appointments while not being detrimentally im- pacted by
the
introduction of the CAZ.
Cllr Sarah Warren, cabinet member for neighbourhood services and cli- mate emergency for the council, said: “We have consulted widely about the CAZ and we have listened. In
this instance we are looking at bringing our taxi policy in line with the proposed con- cession in our charging CAZ and this will now be considered by the licensing commit- tee before the full business case is taken to cabinet for a final decision.” Minimum emission standards in Bath’s CAZ: There will be no charge for vehicles that meet Bath’s minimum emission standards: • Euro 6/VI (or new- er) diesel vehicles registered from
c. 2015
• Euro 4/IV (or new- er) petrol vehicles registered from c. 2006
• Electric vehicles • Hybrid vehicles • Alternatively fuel- led vehicles
This includes modi- fied or retrofitted vehicles that can be shown to meet the council’s mini- mum emission standards. The council is advising that own- ers check their vehicles’ emission standards with the manufacturer. Charges in the zone: Vehicles that don’t
meet Bath’s mini- mum standards will have to pay the fol- lowing charges: • £9 per day for HCs, PHVs, mini- buses, LGVs and vans (including campervans and pick-ups)
• £100 per day for buses, coaches and HGVs
Private cars and motorbikes are exempt from charges, and other exemptions and concessions apply.
Visit:
www.bathnes.gov. uk/bath-breathes- 2021-overview for more information.
FEBRUARY 2020
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