ROUND THE COUNCILS
HUNTINGDONSHIRE: MAKING FLEET GREENER CONCERNS
Taxi drivers have raised concerns at the costs they could face to meet new minimum emission targets set for their cars by Huntingdonshire DC. It will require any new driver applying for a taxi licence to have a car that meets a minimum Euro 6 emission standard, or is a hybrid or fully electric car. For taxi drivers looking to renew their licence their car should meet a minimum of Euro 5 emission standard. The district council said restricting the relicensing of Euro 4 cars would mean more taxis would have to be replaced with lower polluting vehicles. However, some drivers raised concerns that this could place a “sudden financial burden” on them to change their car. One driver said: “As a taxi driver predominantly stationed at the Huntingdon Station rank, the sustainability of my seven-seater WAV directly impacts my financial stability. This vehicle not only serves as my primary income source, but also gives me flexibility to attend to my young family’s needs, including school engagements and appointments. “The potential loss of my taxi due to the proposed regulations would not only pose a financial setback, but also impose exploring alternative avenues of support, potentially through government benefits. “Abrupt implementations of these regulations would render my vehicle unsuitable for licensing elsewhere or for private sale due to its age and mileage, consequently depreciating its value significantly.” At a meeting of the district council’s licensing and protection committee on 15 May, officers said they understood the cost concerns being raised by some of the taxi drivers. They said in recognition of this they were proposing to push back the date for existing drivers to meet the new minimum emission standard to 2025, rather than this year. Councillor Jeff Clarke raised concerns that by moving to a minimum emission standard the authority could be ‘setting some drivers up to fail’. The licensing officers highlighted that the Euro 5 emission standard was the requirement set for all new cars made in 2011, with Euro 6 becoming mandatory standard in 2016. They said the change from the existing five-year rule to the minimum emission standard would actually “widen the scope” of cars available for drivers. Councillor Stephen Ferguson said he thought the change was a “sensible measure” and highlighted
PHTM JUNE 2024
Euro 5 cars could still be up to 13 years old. He also highlighted that the authority was not proposing to mandate taxi drivers to switch to a hybrid or fully electric car, as he said he did not think that was yet sustainable for taxi drivers in rural areas. The council has also agreed a change requiring a taxi driver running a car that is eight years or older to get it checked at a garage every six months. Some taxi operators in the area had opposed this change arguing it would add “unnecessary costs”. However, licensing officers said they were seeing a “significant number” of taxis failing compliance checks, and that a lot of the taxis failing were older cars. Councillor Simon Bywater said it was a “shame” the requirement would add an additional cost to some taxi drivers, but said it was a “sensible approach” to make sure the cars are safe.
EAST LOTHIAN: PLEA TO FORM ASSOCIATION OVER FEES
A plea for taxi drivers in East Lothian to come together and establish a new association has been made as the local authority approved new licence fees for the trade. East Lothian Council’s Labour administration cabinet approved a revised list of licence charges on 14 May, which will see taxi and private hire drivers pay more. During the meeting, cabinet member Councillor Colin McGinn appealed to the county’s taxi drivers to step forward and make sure that their views were heard over future fees. He said: “In the years I have been on the licensing sub- committee, I have been calling for a taxi driver association in East Lothian to help the council understand their needs. “It is in their interest and I am making a plea to drivers and taxi owners to come forward. I am sure we could help get one up and running.” Cabinet gave the go-ahead to changes to licence fees which were proposed after comparing costs with other local authorities. It means that the cost of private hire driver licences are set to increase from £149 to £259 and taxi drivers face a rise from £149 to £207. Cabinet also approved an alternative three-year licence for taxi drivers which will cost £310 and will be available after they have held a one-year licence, which could reduce future costs.
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