HARTLEPOOL:
ROUND THE COUNCILS GLASGOW:
PETITION REVERSES EMISSIONS POLICY
Council chiefs are to look to alter rules on taxi age limits for certain vehicles following a petition from drivers around the cost impact of upcoming changes. Currently Hartlepool Borough Council’s private hire and hackney carriage policy states taxis must be Euro 6 compliant by April 1, 2025. The council’s policy also states at present a licence will only be granted for a vehicle to operate as a taxi when it is under five years old from date of first registration. However, a petition from Khalid Hussain, from Khalid Taxis, proposed to change the council’s policy to remove the age limit for Euro 6 vehicles and instead simply state the vehicles must be in “good condition” and meet other checks. It also looked to delay the date by which vehicles must be Euro 6 compliant. Mr Hussain stated he has 11 taxis, eight of which are only “Euro 5” standard, and the estimated cost to replace them all in line with the council’s current age rules would exceed £80,000. The petition was signed by 52 vehicle owners, with Mr Hussain noting “many drivers may struggle financially to make this change”, highlighting the lasting impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. The information went before the latest meeting of the council’s licensing committee, where officers had recommended no changes were made. However, after hearing from Mr Hussain as well as another taxi driver, councillors decided to alter the policy to allow older Euro 6 vehicles to be licensed by the local authority, subject to them being in good condition. It was agreed that officers would go away and draw up a revised document to reflect this and come back before the panel in March. In the meantime, councillors decided to alter the policy to allow older Euro 6 vehicles to be licensed by the local authority, subject to them being in good condition.
Implementation of the Euro 6 emission standard was also postponed from April 2023 to April 2025 to take into consideration the financial strains placed upon the trade by Covid-19. The council currently licenses 229 private hire vehicles and hackney carriage vehicles, 33 of these vehicles are not Euro 6 compliant.
PHTM JANUARY 2025 TAXI CAP MAY BE LIFTED
The city council is considering lifting a cap on the number of taxis and private hire cars operating within its boundaries, a move aimed at addressing concerns over late-night transport availability and the city's economic recovery. A public consultation is set to be launched following a review by the Licensing Committee, chaired by Councillor Alex Wilson. The current overprovision policy, which limits the number of licences issued, has resulted in a significant number of private hire applications being rejected. This has sparked concerns among drivers who claim that passengers are struggling to find transport late at night. Two recent studies have highlighted a shortage of transport options as a major obstacle to the city's late-night economy recovery. Data from January 2023 shows a decline in licensed vehicles compared to 2019, with a total of 4,584 vehicles (1,416 taxis and 3,176 private hire cars) operating, down from 5,179. Councillor Wilson emphasised the need to reassess the current cap, stating: “Both the city centre and the taxi and private hire trade have undergone significant change over recent years and it’s my view that it’s time for a conversation on whether the overprovision caps for taxis and private hire cars are still required. We need to consider if they still serve the needs of the public, the trade, our city centre economy and Glasgow’s transport network. My hope is the responses to the consultation will tell us that.” Councillor Angus Millar, convener for city centre recovery, stressed the importance of addressing late- night transport concerns to support the city's economy. He urged residents and businesses to participate in the forthcoming consultation. However, Neil Scoffield, Glasgow Convenor of the Scottish Private Hire Association, disputed the claim of a driver shortage. He argued that the current number of drivers exceeds demand, leading to low earnings and excessive waiting times. Scoffield pointed to the abundance of taxis and private hire cars readily available at locations like Central Station as evidence against the claims of a shortage. The consultation will aim to gather public input on the most effective approach to regulating the taxi and private hire industry in Glasgow, considering the city's evolving transportation needs and economic priorities.
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