Agenda

Purpose

The purpose of the report is to seek approval from the Licensing Committee on three issues relating to improvements to air quality in the city, namely:

i)               Amendments to its current statement of licensing policy for the hackney carriage and private hire trade in Portsmouth so far as they relate to age specification of vehicles;

ii)              Amendments to the current statement of licensing policy for the hackney carriage and private hire trade in Portsmouth so far as they relate to Zero Emission Capability, in order to secure £0.5 million for rapid EV charging points specifically for the taxi and private hire trade; and

iii)            The distribution of grant funding to owners and lease holders of non-compliant hackney carriage and private hire vehicles licensed in the city.

Recommendations

1. That the Licensing Committee approve the proposed amendments to the Statement of Licensing Policy (reference - minute 9/2016) as follows:

i)               That, as a matter of local policy and condition for both hackney carriage and private hire vehicle licenses; all private hire and hackney carriage vehicles presented for initial licensing shall be under 4 years of age on first licensing; and

ii)             Any vehicle may be relicensed until 8 years of age, provided the vehicle meets with the requirements of the PATN guidance as approved by the Council and is supported by an evidenced service history in line with the manufacturers guidelines;

iii)           That the upper age limit for licensed vehicles to come into effect on 1st January 2022.

2. That the following statement be attached to the Statement of Licensing Policy (reference - minute 9/2016) in order to secure £0.5 million for rapid EV charging points specifically for use by the hackney carriage and private hire fleet:

"That all newly licensed vehicles be Zero Emissions Capable from the 1st January 2025". 

3. That the licensing committee endorses the proposal that officers will seek to negotiate a restructuring of funding from central Governments Joint Air Quality Unit, in that a greater amount be allocated to Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles.