Bolton: MLS taxi reforms called in after town hall debate

The reforms are part of the Minimum Licencing Standards scheme, which will come into effect all across Greater Manchester by the end of the decade.

The changes initially stated that taxi vehicles would have to be less than five years old on first registration and have been on the road for less than 10 years to avoid a charge, but Bolton Council leaders say their amendments will make these plans more palatable for drivers.

The changes are in response to the fact that around 2,000 hackney vehicles, approximately 11,500 private hire vehicles and upwards of 18,600 drivers are currently licensed across the ten Greater Manchester Authorities.

And there are also significant differences, particularly when it comes to policies relating to the licensing of vehicles, the calculation of licensing fees and the approach to proactive compliance.

In 2018, Greater Manchester’s ten local authorities agreed to collectively develop, approve and implement a common set of ’Minimum Licensing Standards (MLS) for taxi and private hire services.

Deputy leader Cllr Hilary Fairclough said: “We have got the best deal for Bolton of any of the 10 authorities.

“Our transition period in particular, which is to 2028, means that any driver at this moment in time driving any vehicle has until 2028 to comply with the standards that we have included.”

The plans were debated at Bolton town hall on Monday afternoon (Image: Newsquest)

A meeting at town hall on Monday had been recommended to approve each of the 10 proposals for taxis set out by Greater Manchester, with amendments won by Bolton Council.

This included requiring all vehicles to be under five years old on first licencing by April 2028, but with no maximum age for vehicles “on to fleet.”

Taxis will also be required to comply with European standards when first licences, aiming for a zero-carbon emission fleet, by the same date, while a they will also be marked with a common livery.

Bolton Council was recommended to support the common livery, but without a Greater Manchester approved bonnet sticker.

But the plans have long proved to be controversial, having provoked public protests last year by private hire drivers who claim they could “destroy livelihoods.”

Cllr Sue Haworth, who represents the Harper Green ward, claimed that the changes to the proposals showed that taxi drivers were not receiving “straight talking” from the council’s leadership.

Her fellow Harper Green representative, Cllr Hamid Khurram added that many of the drivers he had spoken to had expressed concerns.

Addressing the leadership, he said: “Why can’t we have a different age limit which is acceptable to the trade.

“You have your discussions with the trade, I have my discussions with the trade and they are not happy with a situation where they are struggling financially.

“The cost of living crisis is affecting everybody and at this time we are putting more of a burden on the trade and asking them to buy these vehicles.”

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But council leader Cllr Martyn Cox said that, far from following Manchester’s lead Bolton had managed to secure a very different deal.

He said: “You talk about putting a burden on the trade, this isn’t coming in until 2028, there are no burdens on the trade until 2028 at which point we expect to get funding from central government through Greater Manchester to help cover the costs of it.

“And by not signing up to it we run the risk, high risk pointed out to us by our officers in the report, that we won’t get this funding.”

After the town hall meeting on Monday afternoon, the decision was called in for further scrutiny.