To confirm the Minutes of the Licensing Applications Committee meeting held on 11 June 2019.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 11 June 2019 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

A report asking the Committee to adopt a Hackney Carriage Vehicle Emissions and Age Policy setting out the Council’s requirements until 2030.

The Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report asking the Committee to adopt a Hackney Carriage Vehicle (HCV) emissions and age policy which would contribute to the Council’s objective to be carbon neutral by 2030.  The report advised that the policy would complement the existing Local Transport Plan (LTP) and feed into the new LTP when adopted.

The report stated that the Council had declared a ‘Climate Emergency’ at its Strategic Environment Planning and Transport Committee meeting on 18 March 2019 (Minute 37 refers) and set an objective to be carbon neutral by 2030.  The report highlighted the impact of road travel on carbon emissions and air quality and advised on the incentives becoming available to encourage the use of electric vehicles.  The report also advised that a significant reduction in carbon emissions could be achieved by converting to an ultra-low emission vehicle (ULEV).

The report stated that the proposed policy would entail a staged approach and had been formulated in consultation with the Reading Taxi Association (RTA) and the Reading Cab Drivers Association (RCDA) following the declaration of the ‘Climate Emergency’.

The report explained that the approach would remove vehicles of European Exhaust Emissions Standard Euro 3, 4 and 5a, leaving Euro 5b or cleaner vehicles by 2024 and from 2025 would favour ULEVs over Euro 5b and 6b vehicles.  Incentives would also be offered to encourage the take up of ULEVs and 100% electric vehicles and version 4 of the Local Transport Plan would make reference to a charging network.

Paragraph 2.1 of the report set out the proposed emissions and age policy for HCV’s, as follows: