Issue - meetings
Emission Standards Update
Meeting: 28/03/2019 - Licensing Committee (Item 55)
55 Low Emission Standards for Hackney and Private Hire Vehicles PDF 64 KB
Minutes:
The Committee considered the report of Mr John Littlemore, the Head of Housing and Community Services in which he advised that at the last meeting the Committee had agreed to defer implementation of the Emissions Standards Policy for hackney and private hire vehicles to enable focus groups to take place with trade members.
It was noted that two meetings were held and well attended and it had been clear that the consultation process had been misunderstood as were the implications of specific parts of the policy. This had been distilled down to an issue with the rate at which existing licenced Hackney vehicles would have to be replaced with either hybrid or fully electric vehicles.
Mr Neil Cox, the Hackney Carriage trade representative gave a statement to the Committee and commented as follows:-
·
The trade request that the current policy of 15
years maximum licensed vehicle life should remain, particularly for
existing licensees.
·
Concern that existing vehicles would need to be
replaced by
1 January 2025.
·
That technology was moving forward but there was
still not the
infrastructure in place for enough charging points.
· That Item 9 on the agenda should not become part of the taxi policy at this point.
In response to questions from Members, Officers responded that:-
·
The Policy would relate to all private hire and
hackney carriage vehicles. However,
private hire vehicles can currently only be licensed up to six
years old.
·
Officers are proposing to re-run the public
consultation for a further 4 weeks borough wide to clarify parts of
the draft Emission Standards and Suitability for Use of Maidstone
Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicles with trade members and
public. A report would then be brought
back to the Committee at its first meeting in June and then sent
onto the Communities, Housing and Environment Committee for
approval of the policy.
· That the consultation could include a question to the public and hackney carriage proprietor who are renewing vehicle licences in the 2nd and 3rd phases asking for comment on possible fitting of parking heaters to vehicles in order that vehicles are not kept running in the High Street.
RESOLVED: That
1.
The decision on the draft Emission Standard Policy
be deferred to enable a further 4 week
consultation period on the timing of implementation as it relates
to existing licensed vehicles after the research is carried out on
parking heaters to allow formulation of an appropriate question on
that.
2.
Delegated authority be
given to the Head of Housing and Community Services to consult with
the public and proprietors of hackney carriage vehicles on the
issue of fitting parking heaters to vehicles, subject to them
renewing during phases 2 and 3.
Voting: Unanimous