ROUND THE COUNCILS EDINBURGH:
AGE LIMIT AND EMISSIONS REPRIEVE
Taxi drivers in Edinburgh have been granted a one- year waiver on strict age and emissions limits for their vehicles, offering a temporary reprieve
from
potentially having to sell off older cabs. City councillors voted on 19 May, to approve the extension, allowing taxis older than ten years to continue operating on city streets. Under existing regulations, introduced in 2021, petrol taxis and private hire vehicles were originally required to be 10 years old or less and meet Euro 6 emissions standards, or be Euro 5 and retrofitted. However, the council has consistently approved extensions since 2020, effectively raising the maximum age limit to 14 years. Vehicles exceeding ten years old are subjected to bi-annual inspections to ensure compliance. The decision to extend the deadline comes as a report to councillors highlighted the difficulties some taxi operators face in sourcing vehicles that meet the current age and emissions criteria. SNP Councillor Norman Work questioned the ongoing nature of these extensions, asking council officer Andrew Mitchell: “Was there any sort of timescale for this? There have been these extensions. Was there any idea how long it would go on for?” Mr. Mitchell explained that while the initial target for Euro 6 compliance was 2021: “The pandemic intervened, and the committee quite rightly gave an adjustment to the timeline. So the final timeline for Euro 6 then became 2023. The vast majority of the fleet has been compliant for quite some time. “A smaller number [of drivers] have struggled, either for financial reasons or various other reasons.” However, concerns were raised about the high failure rate of older vehicles during inspections. Regulatory Committee convener, Lib Dem Councillor Neil Ross, noted that: “Over two thirds [of vehicles over ten years old] have failed their first presentation for testing.” He questioned what more could be done to incentivise better compliance. Council officer, Catherine Scanlin, shed light on the challenges faced by drivers: “We’re finding on testing that it’s wear and tear of the rest of the vehicle. And with the best will in the world, it’s very difficult and very expensive in the main, to keep on top of that. So when they’re coming for tests, even when the vehicles are prepped, they can’t foresee some of the issues.”
PHTM JUNE 2025 LIVERPOOL: LICENCE FEE RISE AND ADVERTS BAN
The cost of operating a taxi in Liverpool is poised to increase for the first time in over a decade, as the city council moves to raise licensing fees and implement tighter restrictions on vehicle advertisements. The proposed changes come amidst concerns over a significant number of private hire licences being granted to drivers with Liverpool postcodes by Wolverhampton Council. Currently, a single-year HC or PH driver’s licence in Liverpool costs £60, or £150 for three years. The city council is now proposing to increase these fees to £75 for a year and £180 for three years. According to committee documents, a “full calculation exercise” was conducted, and the proposed increase is considered minimal, with officials stating it will have “very little impact on licence holders and customers.” The report added that the figures are “comparable with core cities so it is highly unlikely that many private hire drivers and licence holders will be motivated to license themselves elsewhere.” The move also addresses a growing trend revealed by a FoI request to Wolverhampton City Council, which disclosed that in 2024 alone, 479 PH driver licences and 695 PHV licences were issued to applicants with Liverpool postcodes. In recent years, Liverpool has seen a decrease of 131 hackney carriage drivers, while the number of private hire drivers has surged by an additional 1,063. Since 2021, there has been a 92% increase in new private hire operators across Liverpool, totalling 77. In addition to fee hikes, committee members will be asked to approve new rules regarding vehicle advertising. While commercial advertising will generally be permitted, new conditions will prohibit the promotion of e-cigarettes and gambling. These proposals will be considered by the general purposes licensing committee next week. If approved, they will mark the first increase in taxi licensing fees in Liverpool since 2011.
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She also highlighted a shift in the trade, stating: “Historically, older vehicles were passed down the line to new people coming into the trade. That’s not possible with these vehicles.” The council’s report also indicated that a future update on progress towards a 100% WAV fleet would be brought before the committee.
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