Taxi Driver Online

This sounds quite stringent, particularly in the current economic climate. But surely it's a bit academic in that cars will have to be less that seven-years-old or thereabouts to comply with the LEZ rule? (Although older HCs could be retrofitted to become compliant, that's less likely to be economically viable for saloon PHVs, presumably.)

On the other hand, it will have a longer-term affect as LEZ-compliant cars get older (Euro 6 for diesel, which is roughly 2014), and thus the age-rule becomes more stringent than the LEZ-spec


Age rule for private hire cabs set to be re-imposed in Glasgow

https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/218 ... d-glasgow/

Private hire cars more than seven-years-old will be taken off the road if plans to reimpose an age limit on vehicles goes ahead.

The council is considering reintroducing the seven-year rule, which was relaxed during the pandemic.

Private hire owners were allowed to keep running cars because of problems sourcing new ones and drivers and owners suffered a drop in income.

The rule had been in place since 2006, which also meant no car more than five-years-old would be granted a licence and cars had to be taken out of service after seven.

Elaine Galletly, director of legal and administration at the council, said in a report to councillors: “Following a recent consultation by the licensing section with the taxi and private hire trade through a trade group meeting held on August 11, 2022, most representatives in attendance at the meeting were in favour of the seven-year age policy being brought back into effect.“

If the council does re-impose the seven-year age limit it is suggested there should be a “reasonable implementation period” to allow owners to find alternative vehicles.

The report recognised it will likely have a financial impact on some owners.

It noted: “There will be no financial implications for the council.

“There may be additional costs for private hire car operators in achieving compliance with the age policy.”

The rule does not affect Hackney taxis in the city - only licensed private hire cars.

The Glasgow Times reported earlier this week how the council could agree to an extension to the Low Emission Zone for Hackney cabs, many of which faced bills of tens of thousands of pounds to comply.

It is being proposed that enforcement for taxi operators who don’t have access to funded retrofit solutions to meet the LEZ minimum emission standards will be granted an additional extension until June 2024 to comply.

All other vehicles driving into the city centre must be compliant with the rules by June next year.

Doesn't make sense to anyone other than Glasgow licensing officials and councillors.

I suspect if it was them paying then the rules would be different.

Is there a 7-year limit on all Glasgow buses? On all Glasgow bin lorries? On all Glasgow council-owned vehicles?

I bet there bloody well isn't.

_________________
IDFIMH

Not difficult to make a case against the quite stringent age rule here, but the figures seem to be the usual gross exaggeration for this kind of thing.

Anyway, imagine what would happen if this was proposed in Mid-Suffolk


Private hire drivers in Glasgow hit out at plan to bring back seven-year age limit on cars

https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/223 ... imit-cars/

Re-imposing a seven-year age limit on private hire cars in Glasgow will force drivers off the road, the council has been warned.

Councillors are meeting today to decide to put the rule, which was in place before the pandemic, back into force.

It means that a car must be no more than five-years-old at the time of being granted a licence and after seven years can no longer be used as a private hire car.

The Scottish Private Hire Association (SPHA), however, said given the increased cost of newer cars and delays in supply many drivers will not be able to comply.

It also said it was not invited to a meeting, where the council said it consulted with the trade.

The SPHA has written to the councillors on the committee who will decide.

Eddie Grice, of the SPHA, said: “Private hire drivers are facing a cost-of-living crisis. We are dealing with a cost-of-fuel crisis. We are experiencing ever-increasing vehicle purchase prices.

“All this coming as we are still in the mode of rebuilding from the negative effects of the pandemic. Reintroducing a seven-year age limit will have a profoundly negative effect on private hire drivers.”

The association highlighted the cost of buying newer vehicles.

An example given was a Skoda Octavia, a popular car with private hire owners.

It said the oldest vehicle an operator could buy would be a 2021 car which would cost £24,498 or £476 per month.

But a 2018 model, which would still be compliant with the council’s Low Emission Zone, would cost £14,998 or £303 per month.

The association said if this was to be purchased and taken out of service after the seven year limit, then it would be financed over two years and cost £671 per month.

And it said drivers have reported that a new vehicle, which costs more, has a waiting time of up to one year.

The SPHA wants a ten-year limit and argues that the majority of councils in Scotland have a limit of more than seven years.

It also said there are safety concerns with drivers likely to work more hours to pay the increased costs.

The council noted it will likely have a financial impact on some operators but said the proposal has support.

Elaine Galletly, director of legal and administration at the council, said in a report to councillors: “Following a recent consultation by the licensing section with the taxi and private hire trade through a trade group meeting held on August 11, 2022, most representatives in attendance at the meeting were in favour of the seven-year age policy being brought back into effect. “

The committee is meeting today to discuss the policy.

Me neither

Can't be bothered crunching all the numbers, but if it's a five-year on rule, why are they saying the oldest car that could be purchased would be 2021?

As for the 2018 car, the £671/month figures seems to assume it's purchased for nearly £15k, which seems well over the top. Then it's assumed it'll be worth nothing after two years

The headline here speaks for itself, and apart from that nothing much new here.

But, as the Glasgow HC trade saying on Twitter, this starkly contrasts with the council's seeming intransigence on HC compliance with next year's LEZ deadline.

So the committee's precise rationale for delaying is perhaps worth examining, but not much illumination there either, apart from stuff about providing further opportunity to openly discuss the issues.

But, of course, rather than just the usual licensing committee bods deciding age rules and the like, the LEZ thing seems more to do with whatever committee decides the environmental stuff.

And, as regards PHVs per se, how any delay in the re-imposition of the age rule would tie in with the LEZ stuff isn't clear


Glasgow private hire car age limit decision delayed after drivers complain

https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glas ... e-25082348

Before covid Glasgow's private hire drivers had to replace their vehicles after seven years but the policy was removed during the pandemic. The councils is planning to bring it back.

Plans to reintroduce an age limit on private hire cars in Glasgow have been postponed to allow drivers, who fear the financial consequences of the move, to be heard.

Before the covid pandemic, cars used by private hire drivers had to be replaced after seven years. The council lifted the policy during the pandemic to help the trade, which was suffering as a result of lockdown restrictions.

It is now proposing to bring the limit back but decision has been delayed after a complaint by the Scottish Private Hire Association (SPHA), which had not been invited to a meeting with trade representatives.

Councillors met yesterday [Wednesday] to vote on the policy and agreed to continue the issue to allow the association, and other interested parties, to make representations. SPHA members were in attendance at the meeting.

Eddie Grice, from the SPHA, has raised concerns over the planned change, which drivers believe would “negatively impact” their finances.

They believe that could have “public safety implications” if drivers are forced to work for longer to “make ends meet”. Some drivers have called for the age limit to be lifted to at least 10 years.

The policy, introduced in 2006, states a vehicle must not be more than five years old when first registered with the council and, at seven years old, vehicles must be “taken out of service and replaced”.

However, the council agreed the order should be “temporarily relaxed” during the pandemic to “help the trade due to the difficulty in sourcing newer vehicles and the loss of income experienced by operators”.

A report by licensing officials stated, after a meeting with the trade, most representatives were “in favour of the seven year age policy being brought back into effect”. If reintroduced, there would be a “reasonable implementation period” to allow drivers to source cars.

Under the policy, the city’s licensing committee can refuse applications for private hire car licences, or suspend existing licences, if the vehicle is over the age limit.

Cllr Alex Wilson, the licensing committee chairman, said there had been an “oversight” and recommended continuing the item to allow more time for representations to be submitted.

“I think it is only fair that they have a proper chance to provide representation to the committee so we can discuss that at length,” he said, adding the committee wants to be “open and transparent”.

Mr Grice said the postponement was a “class act” by the council. “This isn’t just a stay of execution for the many drivers and vehicle owners that this policy will negatively affect,” he said. “It is also a huge win for democracy and for workforce organising.”

He thanked officials for investigating the complaint and the committee for delaying its decision. A date has yet to be set for the future hearing.

What was that I was saying a few weeks ago about Mr Grice laying it on with a trowel?