Agenda item

A report from the Executive Director (Operations) is attached.

The Executive Director (Operations) submitted a report outlining the proposal to bring forward the implementation of existing standards related to emissions from the 1^st April 2026 to the 1^st January 2026 for licensed vehicles eligible for current transitional arrangements. The rationale for this relates to the recent submissions to Government with revised proposals around the GM Clean Air Plan and requirement from Government to ensure a GM agreed emissions standard for all Taxi and Private Hire vehicles by the 31^st December 2025.

The Head of Public Protection presented the report to Members and outlined the opportunity and risk element of the paper.

Members were reminded that this matter was considered at the previous

Licensing and Safety Committee meeting on the 1^st February 2024. Members

resolved to defer consideration of this matter until tonight’s meeting.

Following the request from Members of the Licensing and Safety Committee on the 1st February 2024, the Licensing Service undertook an engagement exercise which included contacting the 225 affected vehicle proprietors who are currently in receipt of transitional arrangements. An initial email was sent on the 6th February 2024 and reminder email was sent on the 12th February 2024 asking for responses to the two questions requested by members of the committee;

a. What are your views on moving the implementation date from 1 April 2026 to the 1st January 2026

b. What are your views on your ability to meet this proposed amendment?

The engagement exercise sought views on the proposals to bring forward the transitional arrangements in respect of the existing emissions standard by three months (1 April 2026 to 1 January 2026). In addition to the email correspondence, the Councils Licensing Engagement Officer contacted a range of vehicle proprietors affected to gain their views. 

The results of the engagement exercise had been forwarded to Members of the Licensing and Safety Committee. The collation of information from the Trade Liaison meeting on the 15^th February 2024 and the responses were annexed at Appendix 1 to the report attached to the agenda pack.

The report seeked to amend the existing transitional arrangements which are due to end on the 1^st April 2026 by bringing forward three months with a proposed implementation date of the 1^st January 2026. This amendment affects the implementation date of the existing emission standard which was agreed and adopted by the Council, and has been in place for all new to fleet vehicles, since 24 November 2021.

If the transitional date was not amended as outlined above, the Councils transitional arrangements policy will not be aligned with the submissions to Central Government by TfGM for the revised GM CAP which proposes that by 1 January 2026 100% of the GM taxi fleet will be compliant with the emission standards with all GM Authorities. Maintaining existing transitional arrangements may jeopardise these revised submissions to Government regarding the GM Clean Air Plan and may prevent and/or disadvantage vehicle proprietors of non-compliant vehicles in Bury from accessing future GM clean taxi fund funding.

It was recommended in the report that the Licensing and Safety Committee

considered and adopted the following amendment to the existing emission

standard and recommended to Full Council that the amendment be approved:-

For existing vehicle licence proprietors

That the transitional arrangements agreed by Full Council on 22 March 2023, in relation to age and emissions standards that were previously extended from 1 April 2024 to 1 April 2026 are brought forward by three months to 1 January 2026.This will enable hackney carriage and private hire vehicle owners to meet the agreed GM emissions standard outlined in the revised GM Clean Air Plan. The amended policy will state that from 31 December 2024 a vehicle licence will not be renewed if the vehicle does not meet the current emission standard.

The Chair reported that he had attended the Trade Liaison meeting and commented that face to face meetings were more beneficial to gauge accurate responses and feelings rather than surveys.

A Member thanked the Licensing Service for collating the extra information requested from the last meeting.

The Licensing Unit manager confirmed that with a change of vehicle application under this scheme, the transfer period would see a lower fee charged. Members who had concerns about drivers applying for licences with other authorities were reminded that to be eligible for this funding, they had to be licenced via a Greater Manchester authority. They also had to stay licenced within GM for a set period of time or risk repaying the funding.

A discussion took place to investigate if the number of vehicles registered outside of Bury could be obtained.

Delegated decision:

It was agreed by the Licensing and Safety Committee to adopt the following amendment (1) to the existing emission standard and recommended to Full Council that the amendment (1) be approved:

For existing vehicle licence proprietors:

1.    That the transitional arrangements amended by Full Council on the 22^nd March 2023, in relation to age and emissions, previously extended from the 1^st April 2024 to the 1^st  April 2026, are amended again and to be in effect from the 1^st January 2026. This will enable hackney carriage and private hire vehicle owners to meet the agreed GM emissions standard outlined in the revised GM Clean Air Plan submissions. The amended policy will state that from the 31^st December 2024 a vehicle licence will not be renewed if the vehicle does not meet the current emission standard.