Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors Levien, Nethsingha and Pounds.

No declarations of interest were made.

The minutes of the meeting held on 20 March and 25 May 2023 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

A member of the public said the following.

1.    Chairman of Cambridge City Council Licensed Taxis raised the following points:

      i.         Believed that the petition request would not only benefit drivers but members of the public/users as well.

    ii.         This would enable more drivers to provide wheelchair accessible vehicles.

   iii.         More vehicles with Hackney plates would be a positive.

The Committee received a report from the Environmental Health Manager (EHM) regarding a petition from a trade representative that requested the Council look at current vehicle age limits.

In response to Members’ questions the Environmental Health Manager said the following:

    i.         Would amend Pg. 17 2.1a of the report, the word “minimum” to  “maximum”. There was nothing in legislation to force drivers to take wheelchair bookings. If drivers were doing private hire work, cannot force them to take other bookings. EHM stated that this issue had been raised with central government and was a national issue.

  ii.         EHM explained emissions of vehicles (Euro 5, Euro 6)

 iii.         Electric Vehicles had an age limit of 15 years.

iv.         There would be minimal impact on Air Quality from raising the vehicle age limit from 9 to 11 years.

  v.         Electric vehicles were still difficult for operators to obtain.

vi.         Council still had the goal of having all vehicles be electric by 2028.

vii.         Council still needed to support the trade when considering environmental effects.

viii.         Dial-a-cab were not under licensing regime.

ix.         There were 38 private hire vehicles that were petrol and diesel.

  x.         Needed to keep all air quality considerations under review.

xi.         Vehicles were now not manufactured en-masse, only by per-order.

The Committee:

Resolved (unanimously) to:

Approve the amendment of the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire licensing policy and handbook, in relation to age limits as follows, with immediate effect;

      i.         Removing the 4 year maximum age limit for newly licensed vehicles. Therefore, amended policy states;

·        a new vehicle licence will not be granted in respect of a vehicle unless it meets the Euro 5 standard or higher.

    ii.         Increasing the age limit for licensed vehicles from less than 9 years old to less than 11 years old. Therefore, amended policy states;

·    a vehicle licence will not be renewed unless the vehicle is less than 11 years old.

·     The above recommendations are only applicable to petrol and diesel and Standard hybrid vehicles.