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Wales Online
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Wales Online
School-run taxis could have wheelchair rules relaxed
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Denbighshire Council's licensing committee will meet next week to consider a temporary change of rules for wheelchair-friendly taxis in a bid to boost availability and ease pressure on school transport. The plans follow a consultation with around 300 hackney carriage taxi drivers and private hire vehicle licence holders, with mixed responses received. Councillors will be asked to weigh up whether easing age limits on wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) could help keep more of the vital vehicles on the road for school contracts. The council proposes that safety will be maintained by introducing stricter testing. Currently, the county has only 14 WAVs available (six hackney carriages and eight private hire vehicles), with a small number available for school contracts, prompting concerns over availability and rising transport costs. Sign up for the North Wales Live newslettersent twice daily to your inbox. The council says while the demand for wheelchair transport has remained relatively stable, the supply has shrunk due to vehicle costs, insurance, and tight licensing regulations, leading to fewer bids for council contracts and less competition, which drives up prices. At the licensing committee meeting, councillors will be tasked with temporarily suspending the age limit for WAVs for one year. Instead, vehicles will be required to meet 'Euro 6 emissions standards' and undergo three compliance checks per year once they reach 12 years old. The rules would stand until June 2026, before a review assessing whether WAV availability has improved, with the option of making the move permanent. Denbighshire 's licensing committee will meet on Tuesday, June 3 at the council's Ruthin County Hall HQ. Public notices in your area
North Wales Live
4 days ago
- Automotive
- North Wales Live
School-run taxis could have wheelchair rules relaxed
Denbighshire Council's licensing committee will meet next week to consider a temporary change of rules for wheelchair-friendly taxis in a bid to boost availability and ease pressure on school transport. The plans follow a consultation with around 300 hackney carriage taxi drivers and private hire vehicle licence holders, with mixed responses received. Councillors will be asked to weigh up whether easing age limits on wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) could help keep more of the vital vehicles on the road for school contracts. The council proposes that safety will be maintained by introducing stricter testing. Currently, the county has only 14 WAVs available (six hackney carriages and eight private hire vehicles), with a small number available for school contracts, prompting concerns over availability and rising transport costs. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox. The council says while the demand for wheelchair transport has remained relatively stable, the supply has shrunk due to vehicle costs, insurance, and tight licensing regulations, leading to fewer bids for council contracts and less competition, which drives up prices. At the licensing committee meeting, councillors will be tasked with temporarily suspending the age limit for WAVs for one year. Instead, vehicles will be required to meet 'Euro 6 emissions standards' and undergo three compliance checks per year once they reach 12 years old. The rules would stand until June 2026, before a review assessing whether WAV availability has improved, with the option of making the move permanent. Denbighshire 's licensing committee will meet on Tuesday, June 3 at the council's Ruthin County Hall HQ. Public notices in your area
Edinburgh Reporter
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Edinburgh Reporter
Edinburgh cab drivers given one-year reprieve from needing to sell off old vehicles
Cab drivers in Edinburgh have been given a one-year reprieve from possibly needing to sell off their old vehicles. Councillors voted on Monday to approve a waiver to the city's hire vehicle age and emissions policy, meaning cabs older than a decade are still allowed to travel on city streets. Under the city's hire car regulations, as of 2021, any petrol cabs or private hires need to be 10 years old or less, and either comply with Euro 6 emissions standards or be Euro 5 and retrofitted to meet council requirements. However, every year since 2020, the council has approved a four year extension to this time period, meaning the maximum age of a cab or private hire car on city streets is 14 years. Every six months after a vehicle passes ten years old, it needs to go through an inspection to make sure it is still in compliance with the city's regulations. A report by officers to councillors said that some members of the taxi trade had found difficulty in finding vehicles that meet the city's current age and emissions standards. SNP councillor Norman Work asked 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 said: 'The initial target 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.' Regulatory Committee convener, Liberal Democrat councillor Neil Ross, asked: 'Over two thirds [of vehicles over ten years old] have failed their first presentation for testing. 'I know there have been efforts made to encourage compliance with these older vehicles, but I'm wondering if there's anything else that could be done to incentivise better presentations?' He said: 'You're in the territory of, if you repeatedly fail, then you bring the operators to committee. 'It's not something we've done except in fairly extreme examples. But if you're testing them twice a year, and they're still turning up for their annual tests and failing, I struggle to see [what can be done].' Another council officer, Catherine Scanlin, added: 'What we're finding on testing is that it's wear and tear of the rest of the vehicle. And with the best will in the world, it's very 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 forsee some of the issues. 'Historically, older vehicles were passed down the line to new people coming into the trade. That's not possible with these vehicles. 'Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the operator to ensure that vehicle is fit for public service. It is a challenge, and it's difficult. Even the best maintained vehicles – it's a challenge for them as well.' The report also said that a report would come to the committee in the near future updating on the council's progress towards a 100% wheelchair accessible taxi fleet. By Joseph Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter Like this: Like Related
Edinburgh Live
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh taxi drivers granted extra extension on age and emissions limits
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Cab drivers in Edinburgh have been given a one-year reprieve from possibly needing to sell off their old vehicles. Councillors voted on Monday to approve a waiver to the city's hire vehicle age and emissions policy, meaning cabs older than a decade are still allowed to travel on city streets. Under the city's hire car regulations, as of 2021, any petrol cabs or private hires need to be 10 years old or less, and either comply with Euro 6 emissions standards or be Euro 5 and retrofitted to meet council requirements. However, every year since 2020, the council has approved a four year extension to this time period, meaning the maximum age of a cab or private hire car on city streets is 14 years. Every six months after a vehicle passes ten years old, it needs to go through an inspection to make sure it is still in compliance with the city's regulations. A report by officers to councillors said that some members of the taxi trade had found difficulty in finding vehicles that meet the city's current age and emissions standards. SNP councillor Norman Work asked 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 said: 'The initial target 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.' Regulatory Committee convener, Liberal Democrat councillor Neil Ross, asked: 'Over two thirds [of vehicles over ten years old] have failed their first presentation for testing. 'I know there have been efforts made to encourage compliance with these older vehicles, but I'm wondering if there's anything else that could be done to incentivise better presentations?' He said: 'You're in the territory of, if you repeatedly fail, then you bring the operators to committee. 'It's not something we've done except in fairly extreme examples. But if you're testing them twice a year, and they're still turning up for their annual tests and failing, I struggle to see [what can be done].' Another council officer, Catherine Scanlin, added: 'What we're finding on testing is that it's wear and tear of the rest of the vehicle. And with the best will in the world, it's very 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 forsee some of the issues. 'Historically, older vehicles were passed down the line to new people coming into the trade. That's not possible with these vehicles. 'Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the operator to ensure that vehicle is fit for public service. It is a challenge, and it's difficult. Even the best maintained vehicles – it's a challenge for them as well.' The report also said that a report would come to the committee in the near future updating on the council's progress towards a 100% wheelchair accessible taxi fleet.
STV News
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- STV News
Council admits defeat in reaching low emission vehicles target
A key green vehicle target report reveals the difficulties South Ayrshire Council is facing as it bids to make its fleet of vehicles greener and less polluting, as officials admitted they wouldn't hit a key target. Since the adoption of its fleet strategy in 2021, like all local authorities, SAC has been working towards ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEV) to meet Scottish Government targets. One of the targets was to convert all small vehicles to ULEV standard by 2025. But officials have admitted this is not going to happen, despite small vehicles being those best suited to transition from fossil fuels. The landscape is more complex, the larger the vehicle. Heavy Goods Vehicles are the most difficult to find a solution to, officials say. A total of 141 new vehicles have been procured since last year, including electric vans and cars, hybrid models, and newer diesel vehicles that meet stricter Euro 6 emissions standards. However, one of the major sticking points is the cost and resources needed to provide infrastructure for EV vehicles, with officials citing bottlenecks and high costs. The report pointed out that the 72 charging points across South Ayrshire were installed through government funding, money that has now dried up. The installation costs of EV chargers are significant, particularly rapid chargers, which are vital for work vehicles travelling throughout the day. While electric vehicles work well for short-range, light-duty operations, many council services—especially social care, waste collection, and grounds maintenance—still rely heavily on diesel due to mileage demands, shift patterns, and remote working models. Installing a single rapid charger can cost up to £55,000, while there are also issues around power supply limitations from the national grid. The cost of larger vehicles is also significant. An electric bin lorry can cost £450,000—almost double its diesel counterpart. Despite that cost, the EV vehicle would not have enough capacity to complete a double shift. The cost of Hydrogen alternatives is even higher, at around £850k each. The report also states that there is no local fuelling infrastructure. Instead, the Council is exploring Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (HVO) as a 'drop-in' solution for existing diesel engines, offering up to 90 per cent emissions reductions. However, it is still around 30% more expensive than diesel. The report does state that the Council has made some progress. Electric vehicle uptake accounts for 23 per cent of the fleet so far. Fleet teams are also working closely with departments to reduce overall vehicle numbers, increase efficiency, and replace ageing hires with greener options where possible. The report admits that, without significant additional investment, the full transformation to a clean, modern fleet remains out of reach in the short term. The Services and Partnerships Performance Panel will consider the report on Wednesday May 21. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
