Government urged to ban taxis from outside of Greater Manchester to keep region’s air clean

Taxis not licensed locally should be banned in Greater Manchester in a bid to keep the region’s air clean, the government has been told this week.

Under current rules, taxis which are licensed elsewhere can be booked by customers in Greater Manchester, even if they do not meet the standards of local councils.

But in a letter to local leaders earlier this month, environment secretary George Eustice outlined how banning out-of-area private hire bookings as part of the regions Clean Air Plan could help councils to control pollution levels locally.

The document argues that such a rule would give local authorities ‘stronger regulatory tools’ to improve the emission standards of taxis operating in the city-region.

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It then confirms that Greater Manchester is looking to secure a commitment from the government to devise ‘an appropriate regulatory approach’ that will legally require all private hire journeys within Greater Manchester to be undertaken by a driver and vehicle both licensed by one of the ten local authorities.

The document reads, as per the Manchester Evening News: “In context of the [Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan], the ability to provide local licensing standards would help to improve the emission standards of taxis operating in Greater Manchester whilst providing incentives to upgrade non-compliant vehicles.

“This complementary measure would provide more certainty in Greater Manchester’s ability to meet required [NO2] exceedance levels.”

It continued: “The effect would be to ensure that private hire operators with a license to operate in one or more of the ten Greater Manchester local authorities will be required to serve any intra Greater Manchester journey request with a locally licensed driver and locally licensed vehicle.”

The Air Quality Administration Committee will be asked to confirm this draft submission as final tomorrow, Friday July 1st.

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This comes on the back of Andy Burnham’s newly-announced plans to introduce a ‘non-charging’ Clea Air Zone for the region, following major backlash to his original proposals of a daily charging zone for certain vehicles.

In a press conference last month, Burnham outlined plans for a non-charging zone that will affect buses, coaches, HGVs and taxis.

These vehicles will reportedly be offered grants to ‘upgrade to cleaner vehicles rather than face daily charges’, though the government will have the final say on this.

Burnham will be requesting permission from the government to implement this newly revised scheme before the next month’s deadline.

Visit the official Clean Air Greater Manchester website for more information.