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Posted on the 3rd April 2025 in PHTM News
HARTLEPOOL CABBIES POISED FOR VICTORY AS COUNCIL CONSULTS ON AGE LIMITS
Hartlepool taxi drivers are on the verge of a significant win as the borough council considers scrapping controversial vehicle age limits.
A new draft licensing policy, approved by the council's licensing committee, proposes to eliminate the current rule that restricts licences to vehicles under five years old.
The move follows a petition submitted in December, spearheaded by Khalid Hussain of Khalid Taxis, who expressed concerns over the financial burden on drivers.
"It comes down to costs," Hussain stated, highlighting the impact of Uber's recent entry into the Hartlepool market.
While the proposed policy would remove age restrictions, it maintains the requirement for all licensed vehicles to be Euro 6 compliant. However, the deadline for this has been pushed back to September 1, 2025, with wheelchair accessible vehicles granted an additional year.
This postponement addresses some of the concerns raised by drivers, though Hussain called for a further delay.
Council officers clarified that the Euro 6 standard, mandatory for new cars since 2015, was initially implemented in council policy in 2019, with a planned implementation date of April 2023, later delayed due to COVID-19. They also noted that out of the 225 licensed vehicles, only 32 are currently not Euro 6 compliant.
The draft policy will now undergo public consultation, allowing residents and drivers to voice their opinions before a final decision is made.
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