Halton Council to discuss changes to age limits on taxis

OLDER vehicles could soon be used by Halton’s taxi firms.

The council’s regulatory committee meets on Tuesday when it will decide whether or not to lift a ban on the use of Hackney carriages and private hire cars being used as taxis if they are over a certain age.

At present, saloon and estate cars can be no older than eight years old, wheelchair-compliant multi-purpose vehicles can be no older than 12, while purpose-built taxis can be no older than 16 years old.

But a report to the board claims concerns have been raised by firms over the cost of replacing cars once the imposed age limit is reached.

The report said: “Replacing a licensed vehicle on attaining current age limits could, in the current time of austerity, be punitive to the proprietor and place unreasonable financial and/or personal pressures on licence holders.”

But it warned: “Removing the condition in its entirety could lower the standards achieved in the borough since age restrictions were established, to the detriment of the service to which the public are entitled.”

The committee will consider the following options:

Take no action.

Revoke the current conditions relating to age.

Modify the current conditions for a restricted period.

Introduce further qualifying conditions to maintain the status quo while still assisting licence holders.

source: http://www.runcornandwidnesweeklynews.co.uk/