SNP war on drivers (cont.) … now cabbies face £70k bill for LEZ-friendly taxis
SCOTLAND’S taxis face ‘death by 1,000 cuts’ as a result of a ‘green’ crackdown on older vehicles, industry chiefs warned last night.
A Low Emission Zone (LEZ) aimed at improving air quality has been running in the centre of Glasgow since last year with a grace period for taxi drivers who could show they were trying to replace non-compliant cabs.
That amnesty will end next month which means many older drivers are opting to ‘walk away’ rather than invest up to £70,000 in a new taxi that meets the LEZ rules.
Taxi bosses warn the disabled could be disproportionately affected – as wheelchairaccessible cabs are more than double the price of saloontype vehicles.
LEZs are now coming into operation in other cities across Scotland – meaning more cars, vans, buses and lorries will be hit with fines of £60 if they fall foul of the pollution rules.
Diesel cars registered before 2015 and petrol vehicles that pre-date 2006 do not meet LEZ standards.
Last night Murray Fleming, general secretary of the Scottish Taxi Federation, said: ‘The industry is facing death by 1,000 cuts – and LEZ is a big contributing factor.
‘Older drivers are looking at large bills for replacing their vehicles – potentially £65,000£70,000 for a wheelchairaccessible cab, or £25,000 for a saloon – so customers in wheelchairs are going to find it harder to travel by taxi.
‘Owners of non-compliant taxis are not going to invest those sums – instead many are choosing to walk away.’
Edinburgh’s LEZ comes into force from June 1 with no taxi exemption. In Aberdeen cab drivers are expected to have their vehicles fully compliant by June 1, 2025. Enforcement of Dundee’s LEZ will start later this month, with the council offering ‘time-limited exemptions’ for taxis if owners prove they are trying to comply with the new rules.
Dundee Council says most taxis there are already electric or are being upgraded.
Campaigners estimate that Glasgow is set to lose around 300 of the city’s 1,318 licence holders – in addition to 400 drivers who have handed in their badges since 2018.
Jack Irvine, former director of the LEZ Fightback campaign, said: ‘This is a disaster for Glasgow – it will mean more dodgy taxi firms.’
Glasgow City Council said: ‘Whilst most taxis in the city centre meet LEZ standards, it is essential all vehicles entering the zone are of a standard that does not contribute to air pollution problems.’