Taxi Driver Online

Setting vehicle age limits could shut down taxi firms, say owners

Taxi services could be forced out of business and jobs lost in Aberdeenshire if the local authority forces through plans to impose strict age limits on all vehicles, it was claimed last night. Council chiefs want to drive taxis which are older than five years off the road.

The ban would hit cars and minibuses which are not wheelchair accessible – those which are will be allowed a longer life-span. The local authority claims that action needs to be taken because too many taxi and private hire vehicles are failing their road tests.

However, the move is expected to cause major problems for existing taxi operators, who are already under pressure from rising fuel costs. It is claimed the proposal will put jobs at risk and even cause some businesses to close.

In a letter to taxi firms, a council spokesman said: “The taxi and private hire fleet within Aberdeenshire is ageing. This has led to an increasing number of vehicles failing to pass the vehicle test. “The number of re-tests are now clogging up the vehicle inspection system, meaning that all operators are having to wait longer to get their vehicles tested.”

The council also proposes a 10-year limit on wheelchair accessible vehicles.

Taxi operators have been invited to a meeting in Inverurie Town Hall on Friday to discuss the plan. Elaine Buchan, who runs Elaine’s Central Taxis – the biggest cab company in the Buchan area – said: “This could be a real disaster. Companies have had to put up with rising VAT and massive fuel costs and now they have this to deal with. “A lot of businesses just won’t be able to cope. They won’t have the money to replace their fleet. They’ll just decide to call it a day.”

She added: “I had a quick look around Peterhead this weekend and I would say that the majority of vehicles being used would not be accepted by the council.” Stewart Wight, owner of Safe Drive taxis in Laurencekirk, added: “The council should be helping businesses by reducing their costs, not damaging them like this.

“There is no direct relation with the age of a vehicle and its fitness for purpose. “The council say that many vehicles are failing their tests – well, that suggests to me that the system we’ve got is working.”

He added: “Mechanically, what is the difference between an eight-seat vehicle and an eight-seat vehicle with a wheelchair ramp? The answer is nothing. So the proposal has nothing to do with safety. “If one of my Renault traffic buses is safe for up to 10 years with a ramp then one without a ramp is equally safe.”

Last night, Banff councillor Ian Gray said the proposal was “totally unnecessary”. He said: “Given the reliability of vehicles these days, it is completely ludicrous to even consider forcing taxi operators to stop using vehicles which are over five years old.

“Taxis are subject to tests to ensure their safety and road-worthiness to carry fare-paying members of the public. “As long as these tests are being carried out to a high standard and the public has confidence in the system, there should be no need to introduce arbitrary age limits.” He added: “The environmental and economic consequences of doing so are simply horrendous.”

Ten years ago, a similar move was proposed by Moray Council but was dropped following opposition from local businesses. Just before Christmas last year, London mayor Boris Johnson announced that he would be modifying his proposal for a 10-year age limit to take account of a difficult trading climate. A new 15-year limit was introduced instead.

_________________
IDFIMH

If the said council wants a modern fleet then why not put there money where their mouth is and stump up a grant towards the cost of a new vehicle. Bet they'd soon have second thoughts then.

The press have got the story wrong.

Aberdeenshire want to bring in age limits on first licence.

5 years for saloons, 10 years for WAVs
No maximum age providing the motor is still fit for use.
Same rules as we have in Aberdeen City.

_________________

http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

Typical reporting

If it applies to shire only it would help the city combat the shire plague