Coventry taxis to be hit by further cost after Council recommended to approve emission based licensi

Coventry's cabbies could be hit by a huge financial penalty as Coventry City Council's cabinet look to push through emission-based licensing requirements for taxis and private hire vehicles (PHV).

The council are aiming to adopt the new measures in a bid to combat nitrogen dioxide levels in the city.  

From January 2020 only vehicles with Euro 4 engines will have their vehicle licences renewed. All other new applications must be made on vehicles with zero emission capability. 

The city have already adopted a timetable which states that all vehicles must be zero emission capable from 2024.  

Although the council are offering funding of £2,591 for the first 60 taxis, on top of a government grant on £7,500 to change the taxis to zero emission capable cabs, the total funding is not nearly enough to meet the £60,000 plus cost.

According to Coventry Live, shadow cabinet member for city services Cllr Tim Mayer stated that there are 1,260 taxi drivers in Coventry and it is not enough and a token gesture.

Last week, the council increased taxi licence fees for the first time since 2009, leaving cab drivers fearing that they could be put out of business by the increased costs. Cllr Mayer has also expressed concern that taxi drivers in the area could have a torrid time ahead of them.

Council director of regulatory services Andrew Walster recently claimed that Coventry was providing an extensive financial package and it was possibly one of the most generous packages in the country. 

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