ROUND THE COUNCILS HARTLEPOOL: YELLOW TAXI COLOUR CONSULTATION
Hartlepool’s trademark yellow taxis may be headed for a colour change, as the borough council’s licensing committee has agreed to launch a public consultation on the issue. The review comes after concerns were raised by Blueline Group managing director, Ian Shank, about the financial burden of the current policy which dictates that hackneys “must be professionally painted or wrapped to a non-standard production shade of yellow.” Mr Shank wrote to the council arguing the expense of using a “non-standard colour” which negatively impacts “the dwindling hackney trade.”The letter highlighted that wrapping or spraying vehicles to the current standard “now costs more than £2,000 – ‘on top of the vehicle price’ – suggesting a “more practical and cost-effective choice” would benefit both the trade and the public. He proposed that partially wrapped or liveried designs retaining the distinctive colour “could be achieved at a much lower cost.” Despite the potential savings, some councillors voiced strong reservations at the licensing committee meeting on October 24 including the fact that yellow taxis are instantly recognisable as being local and that a new colour scheme would be a “massive change to a lot of people.” Council reports noted that the HC and PH working group has already been consulted, with three responses objecting to the move. The public consultation on hackney carriage colour requirements is expected to begin in January 2026. This follows a 2019 consultation where councillors voted to keep the vehicles yellow, aligning with the majority of responses at the time.
OLDHAM: TAXI TESTING RULES CHANGED
Oldham Council has announced a significant change to its licensed vehicle testing process to alleviate pressure on its testing capacity and “cut waiting times.” Effective last month, taxi and PH drivers will be allowed to
have which will reduce delays for new applications,
renewals, and re-tests, as the number of registered drivers has recently soared. Cllr Elaine Taylor, Cabinet Member for Licensing, stated: “These changes will make a real difference by freeing up testing capacity, cutting waiting times and ensuring vehicles remain safe and roadworthy.” The council will continue to carry out all initial vehicle tests at its own facility to maintain a focus on safety and high licensing standards.
BOLTON: AGE CAP FOR HACKNEYS LIFTED their mid-year vehicle tests
conducted at any DVSA-approved test centre, instead of being restricted solely to the council’s facility. This decision follows consultation with local drivers and is expected to “free up around 2,000 test slots,”
PHTM NOVEMBER 2025
Members of Bolton Council’s Licensing Committee have backed proposals to remove the age cap and instead require all licensed HCs and PHVs to meet emissions standards by 31 August 2030. This change brings Bolton into line with the Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan and DfT guidance, which warns councils against setting arbitrary age limits. Officials said older but well-maintained vehicles can often be cleaner than newer petrol or diesel cars, and that twice-yearly MoTs and compliance tests will ensure safety standards remain high. Since 2004, HCs in Bolton could not be licensed if they were more than 10 years old at first grant, or more than 15 years at renewal. Councillors were told keeping that rule risked drivers missing out on government funding and left many struggling to meet the previous compliance deadline of December 2025. Figures show 54 HCs and 319 PHVs in Bolton are not currently compliant with Euro 6 diesel or Euro 4 petrol standards. The new 2030 deadline reflects delays in government funding and negotiations between GM councils and ministers, with leaders across the region keen to avoid “licence shopping” between boroughs. The government has set aside £8m in Clean Taxi Fund grants for HVs across Greater Manchester, with support offered on a tiered basis. However, no funding has yet been confirmed for PH drivers which has left many in the industry frustrated. Labour councillor Donaghy warned that HCs, while declining in number, still play a crucial role while licensing manager, Patricia Clyne, told the committee hackney numbers have “dropped to nearly half” of pre-Covid levels. She said the high cost of purpose- built vehicles, combined with the growth of booking apps, had hit the trade hard, but added that removing the age policy could encourage new drivers to join.
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