New proposals aimed at resolving a long-running controversy over sweeping reforms to the taxi trade have been made.
The Minimum Licensing Standards reforms have met stiff opposition from taxi drivers across Bolton in recent months and years over fears that a maximum age requirement on cars could force them off the road.
But the proposals, which also include a common livery and emissions policy, are now set to come back before Bolton Council’s cabinet next week with several crucial differences.
Council leader Cllr Nick Peel said: “In a nutshell, there’s three changes to MLS which we're proposing.
“The three changes amount to sticking with the current age policy in place.
The proposals have provoked debates and protests in recent months (Image: Newsquest)
“We’re not convinced on a maximum age and when you’ve got taxis in Bolton registered to Wolverhampton or wherever else, the argument that the age of taxis is somehow a problem specifically in Bolton doesn’t stack up.”
He added: “The second is that we’re keeping the livery policy as it is so there’ll be no common livery and thirdly we’ve pushed back the new emissions policy from 2028 to 2030.”
The previous proposal, which would have come into force all across Greater Manchester, would have demanded that taxi vehicles be no more than five years old on first registration and have been on the road for less than 10 years to avoid a charge.
There had also been proposals that all taxis be outfitted with a common yellow livery all over the city region, which drivers feared could have made them targets for vandals.
But now the new proposals will mean no maximum age, while the changes to liveries will also be scrapped.
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After repeated protests and debates, Cllr Peel said that he hoped the changes coming to cabinet next week will finally help resolve the impasse.
He said: “The previous administration at the council has been kicking this around for a few years now.
“What we want now is to stop drivers from being treated like a political football and really put this issue to bed.”
The proposals will be discussed at a meeting of Bolton Council’s cabinet on Monday June 26.
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