Agenda item

Report of the Director of Early Intervention (enclosed)

The Director of Early Intervention and Support submitted a report for Members to agree the consultation and phased introductions of vehicle emissions standards and The European New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) safety rating standards for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle licences.

The Regulatory Services Manager reminded Members that in February 2016 the Licensing and Public Safety Committee agreed in principle to the introduction of a minimum of Euro 5 emissions standards for licenced vehicles to preserve and protect air quality (Condition 21) and to a minimum standards of 4* NCAP safety rating of vehicles to protect public safety (Condition 22) as part of the review of the vehicle conditions. As was agreed previously, the Committee would now consider the best way to implement such changes and over what period these changes should be phased in.

In order to consider the best way to implement these changes, the report included three potential options which were not exclusive but provided initial foundations for Member’s consideration. Each option was addressed in turn.

Option 1 required that all vehicles subject to a grant of a Hackney Carriage or Private Hire Vehicle Licence to meet Condition 21 (Emission standards of Euro 5 or above) and condition 22 (NCAP safety rating of 4* or above) by a date set by Committee; and required that all existing vehicles to comply with the conditions 21 and 22 by a date set by Committee.

Option 2 expanded on Option 1 to ensure that this included the exception to allow those vehicles that have previously been subject to a licence, but where this has lapsed or been suspended, to be treated as existing vehicles and to comply, by a date set by Committee, rather than at the next grant application.

Option 3 required all vehicles subject to a grant of a Hackney Carriage or Private Hire Vehicle Licence to meet Condition 21 and 22 by 2030 and exempt all existing licensed vehicles from the provisions as proposed by the Trade represented at the Licensing Liaison Panel on 23 June when consultation on the phased implementation of the vehicle Conditions 21 and 22 took place.

The number of vehicles currently licensed by Chorley Council that predate this are 24 and the 36 Hackney Carriage Vehicles and approximately 100 of the 140 Private Hire Vehicles. These vehicles and possibly some that postdate 2009 but still do not meet the emission standards, will be affected by the introduction of this condition. This equates to approximately 70% of the fleet, which are likely to be affected by the conditions due to the age of the vehicle (currently registered prior to September 2009 and 7 years old or more). It was indicated that Chorley Council no longer imposes an age restriction on vehicles licenced as Hackney Carriages or Private Hire Vehicles.

In relation to this, Members discussed a reasonable lifespan for the vehicles and took further consideration into the cost implications for both the Council and the Trade, affordability and phasing, and the discrepancies caused by the varying business models within the Trade.

The cost implications for the Council are limited in comparison the cost implications which may be faced by the Trade in order to invest new vehicles to meet requirements, and would therefore have a high impact on the entire fleet. Therefore, Members were minded to ensure that discretion and flexibility was present within policy so as to ensure that premium vehicles are deemed acceptable regardless of age limit if they continue to meet the requirements. Essentially, it was understood that setting an age limit was not a priority for Chorley Council as improving the quality of the fleet to fundamentally ensure public safety took precedence.

After considering this, Members were minded to propose Option 2 with an interim vehicle lifespan of eight years to avoid implementing undue financial burden on the Trade and to avoid the risk of damaging the Chorley Private Hire business. It was requested that Member’s be provided with further information and statistics indicating how many vehicles in the Borough are more than 15/20 years old in order to come to a more accurate agreement on timeframes. It was AGREED that this proposal would be taken back to the Trade to be consulted thoroughly at the Licensing Liaison Panel in October 2016.

Charles Oakes of the Hackney Drivers Association Limited addressed the Committee in support of the proposal to move the decision to be sent back for discussion with the Trade. He expressed the view that it would have a serious impact on the Trade and their vehicles and advised that consultation including facts and figures was essential.

It was proposed by Councillor Adrian Lowe, seconded by Councillor Gordon France and subsequently RESOLVED that the proposal of Option 2 with an interim vehicle lifespan of eight years would be taken back to the Trade for consultation at the Licensing Liaison Panel in October 2016. Furthermore, it was also RESOLVED that Members would be provided with information and figures on how many vehicles are more than 15-20 years old in the Borough to allow Members to come to a more accurate agreement with the Trade.