Agenda item

To receive and consider a report containing the Criteria Policy for Licensed Vehicles.

The Committee considered the Criteria Policy for Licensed Vehicles which was set out in agenda pages 29-36.

Laura Driscoll read out an email that she had received from Suzanne McLaughlin, Senior Environmental Health Officer, containing her recommendation for the Committee’s consideration:

Environmental Quality Team welcomes the proposal to amend the Criteria Policy for Licensed Vehicles to reflect the changes in vehicle technology and alternative fuels and improve the air quality in Wokingham Borough. They wish to be consulted on the proposals.  

The Committee is asked to consider the Euro emission standards when making its decision.

Members were asked to consider the start of a consultation exercise in respect of amendments to the policy containing the criteria for licensed vehicles.

During the discussion of the item the following comments were made:

·           Laura Driscoll asked Members to take into account the three quality air areas in the Borough;

·           Members were informed that there were three Air Quality Management Areas in the Borough (M4, Twyford Crossroads and Wokingham Town Centre), all declared due the exceedance of road transport emissions (nitrogen dioxide);

·           Councillor Jarvis strongly supported the proposals as they promoted lower pollution levels;

·           Most Members were in favour of promoting lower emission cars;

·           Councillor Richards believed that the age of a car covered a wider range of issues, not just emissions and he wondered if it was possible to combine the age of the vehicle and emissions within the policy;

·           Laura Driscoll stated that the Committee could opt to favour the use of Euro 5 but the age of the vehicle would than change to 8 years; she proposed to look at what other local authorities were opting for;

·           Councillor Rowland was keen to encourage the use of petrol or electric cars rather than diesel cars;

·           Laura Driscoll suggested that it was possible to apply different charges depending on the type of fuel used by the car;

·           Laura Driscoll pointed out that in order to encourage electric cars, the policy would have allow for lower engine capacity;

·           Councillor Ferris suggested including a target in the policy for vehicles to move towards more friendly fuel types by a certain date;

·           Councillor Ferris asked how this policy applied to vintage cars.  Laura Driscoll stated that wedding cars did not have to be licensed;

·           In response to a question Laura Driscoll stated that she expected that the law would have to be changed in the future to address issues such as driverless vehicles; and

·           Laura Driscoll pointed out that one of the proposals was to change the age of the vehicle from 15 years to 10 years;

After a robust discussion the Committee agreed to carry out a consultation, keep the standard rules (not the Euro emissions rules) and review the policy at a future meeting taking into account the responses. 

Members asked that the consultation included questions in relation to the use of different types of fuel, to gage the drivers’ views on this issue.

RESOLVED That:

1)     The Committee agreed that a consultation exercise would be carried out with all existing hackney carriage and private hire licence holders and any other interested parties in respect of amendments to the policy containing the criteria for licensed vehicles; and

2)     Any responses to the consultation would be reported for consideration at a future meeting of the Committee.