Agenda item

To consider a report by the Director of Resources and Housing which advices Members of the plans to engage with the taxi and private hire trade as part of the wider consultation on the council’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ) plans. 

The report aims to illustrate how this process will support the steps that will be taken to complete the submission of a bid for funding to government to assist mitigation of the impacts of the CAZ on this sector. 

(Report attached)

The Director of Resources and Housing submitted a report which advised Members of the plans to engage with the taxi and private hire trade as part of the wider consultation on the Council’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ) plans.

Members were informed that the aim of the report was to illustrate how the process would support the steps that would be taken to complete the submission of a bid for funding to government to assist mitigation of the impacts of the CAZ on this sector.

Appended to the report was a copy of a Leeds City Council Newsletter (Taxi and Private Hire) dated 5^th December 2017 which set out details of the government’s intension to improve air quality (Clean Air Zones)

The Project Manager, Resources & Housing presented the report and responded to Members’ questions and queries. Councillor J Lewis, Executive Member, Resources and Strategy was also in attendance.

Detailed discussion ensued on the contents of the report which included:

·  The defined boundary of the CAZ

·  The charges that would apply to non-compliant vehicles entering the CAZ

·  The measures that would need to be undertaken for a vehicle to be compliant

·  The CAZ consultation to run from 2^nd January to 2^nd March 2018

·  Communication with the trade, consultation approach, online information and engagement with the trade using existing channels and trade forums

·  Support from the government to assist with the transition to lower emission vehicles that would be required by the introduction of a CAZ

Reference was made to the purchase of newer/ lower emission compliant vehicles suggesting that many drivers / operators would find it a financial strain to purchase newer vehicles.

In responding the Project Manager, Resources & Housing said it was important for individual drivers to be made aware of the options available to them and understand the benefits and savings from hybrid/ low emission vehicles. Government grants together with low interest loans could be made available if that was what drivers/ operators wanted.

Members queried how out of town vehicles would be monitored and charged.

Members were informed that the enforcement of out of town vehicles was not just a local issue but was a national issue. It was understood that representations had already been made to the Government from all major UK cities about this issue and there was also considerable support from Members of Parliament.

A discussion ensued on the use of electric vehicles with Members suggesting that the trade needed to be aware of electric vehicle costs (purchase costs and also running costs), the number of miles that could be achieved on a single charge and was there an adequate charging network in place.

Members were made aware that if an electric vehicle was charged from a residential property, off street car parking was required, and running a charging cable across the pavement would not be permitted.

One Member queried if it was possible to adapt a street lamp so the street lamp could act as a charging point.

In responding officers reported that it was possible to adapt a street lamp to become an electric vehicle charging point but it would only be suitable for

curb-side lamp posts, it was understood a pilot scheme was currently been planned.

The Project Manager suggested that in the first instance it was likely there would be a large uptake of hybrid vehicles with uptake of electric vehicles following as the technology developed and charging points became more accessible

In providing an overview of the consultation the Executive Member responsible said the introduction of a clean air zone in Leeds was not a mechanism to make money, the main aim was to achieve lower vehicle emissions. The consultation would provide us with an understanding as to how we can help people to achieve this.

In summing up the Chair thanked Members and Officers for their contributions commenting that it had been an interesting and worthwhile discussion. 

RESOLVED –

(i)  To note the consultation plan and engagement overview in respect of the taxi and private hire trade

(ii)  That a further update report be brought back to this Committee in six months-time (July 2018)