Bolton Labour and Conservative members have clarified their stances on the controversial minimum licensing standards (MLS) for taxis.

The proposals have attracted many protests from drivers in the town who have claimed it will put them out of work.

Originally the plans were Greater Manchester wide and would lead to a ban on cars more than five years old.

However, changes have now being made to what is being proposed.

The new Labour administration has said there will be no limit on age, no common livery policy and the new emissions policy will be brought back to 2030 from 2028.

The second stage of MLS was raised at a cabinet meeting on Monday, June 26 by the Conservatives and was sent to the scrutiny committee.

Taxi drivers once again protested against the proposals around the same time as the meeting and some of them were invited to join it.

Cllr Sue Haworth, cabinet member for regulatory services at the council, said it was unclear why the matter had been brought there at all.

She said: “Labour on Monday (June 26) passed a policy of no age restrictions for private hire vehicles, reduced livery, and a seven year lead in time to emissions policy.

"The Tory decision three months ago was to have a maximum age of 10 years, increase livery, and less lead in time for emissions policy.

"This is Labour's reversal of the Tory policy.”

She added: “It has now gone to scrutiny committee.

"It is unclear as to the actual reasons the Tories called the decision in to further scrutiny as Cllr Hilary Fairclough made it clear that she supported the labour proposals and said that she did not know why drivers were objecting.”

But Cllr Fairclough said what she thought was an agreement between the two parties had broken down and the Conservatives now favoured scrapping the second stage of MLS.

She said: “Originally we felt we had an agreement with the main opposition party.

“They then put alternative proposals at the election.

“We then went back to the taxi drivers and their trade representatives.

“We had quite a long discussion with them.

“They want it scrapped and we agreed with that.

“Even though we were not successful in the local elections, the fact that we made that promise and we will stick to it.

“It is not really minimum licensing any more and all the 10 authorities are doing their own thing.

“We want it scrapped fully and we will go for that at scrutiny.

“We were lobbied strongly by taxi representatives to bring it to council.”