Emissions policy angers Shropshire taxi firms
Taxi and private hire drivers in Shropshire say they could find themselves out of business if Shropshire Council insists on their vehicles meeting European emissions limits.
The council wants to see all vehicles used for taxi or private hire comply with increasingly tough European emissions standards over the next three years.
But the drivers and operators say they will not be able to afford to replace all their vehicles so quickly. They say recent worldwide controversy over emissions is a further reason why the council should postpone new policy.
Drivers from across the county were today attending a Shropshire Council licensing meeting in an attempt to put across their message to councillors.
Shropshire Council confirmed that it would be responding to the issues during the meeting.
Tim Higgins, 50, from Oswestry, who runs Higgins Taxis, said he would go out of business if he had to replace his fleet of nine vehicles.
"If I go out of business that is 25 people who would lose their jobs," he said.
He explained that drivers of new vehicles or those renewing licences between 2015 and 2017 will have to comply with "Euro 4" emission standards then "Euro 5" until 2018 and "Euro 6" after that.
"They are only just starting to make "Euro 6" compliant saloon cars. But as far as mini buses or wheelchair access vehicles go, I understand nothing is yet in production. They are not even manufacturing these vehicles yet."
Mr Higgins said that drivers and operators had been campaigning against the Shropshire Council plans for some time.
"There is only one other council in Britain that we know of bringing in these emissions rules," he said.
With the news breaking that several cars brands, under the VW empire, are fitted with emissions cheating software Mr Higgins said it was even more urgent that it was discussed by the council.
"I sent in an application asking to talk to the meeting but was told my request had been submitted five minutes too late."
Frances Darling, Shropshire Council's senior commissioner in business support and regulatory services, said: "The Euro 5 emissions issue has been raised by similar public questions that were submitted by other taxi drivers/operators within the required timescales, and therefore Shropshire Council will be responding to the issue as part of the meeting."
