Second City Clean Air Zone will destroy Black Taxi trade drivers warn

Drivers of Birmingham city's black taxi trade have warned that the iconic industry will be decimated by the imposed pollution charge which is set to come into effect at the start of 2020.

According to sources, only 72 hackney carriage, out of the current 1,265 licensed vehicles, will be complaint with emission standards set out for the new Clean Air Zone.

Drivers voiced their concerns during a heated meeting of the authority's Licensing and Public Protection Committee on Wednesday according to a report in the Birmingham Live.

Saj Mahmood, from RMT union has highlighted their need to work with the council, but says that they have come across with a "hammer, bang."

The influx of out-of-town drivers (those licensed by other authorities) that is already destroying the local trade was also brought up.

The committee has agreed to complete an eight-week consultation with the public and drivers later this month around the proposed changes. One of the ideas is to scrap the 'exceptional condition test' which allows Hackney Carriages to be used once they are more than 14 years old, providing they are deemed road-worthy. 65 Birmingham black cabs were recently converted to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which was organised through a government pilot scheme.