Aberdeen City Council set to decide on public consultation covering taxi zoning, vehicle age limits, and driver testing
- Perry Richardson
- 11 hours ago
- 2 min read
Aberdeen City Council’s Licensing Committee is due to consider whether to undertake a full review of the city’s Taxi and Private Hire Policy at a meeting scheduled this month, with officers recommending a formal consultation process during early 2026.
The report asks councillors to agree in principle to a review of the existing policy and to identify which areas should be prioritised for public consultation. If approved, the consultation would run from February through March 2026, with findings reported back to the committee on 20 May 2026 for further consideration.
One of the central issues flagged for review is Aberdeen’s long standing two zone taxi licensing system, which currently separates the city zone from the airport zone. Under the current arrangements, city licensed taxis are restricted from picking up passengers at Aberdeen International Airport unless pre booked, while airport licensed vehicles face similar restrictions within the city.
Officers are proposing to test public and trade views on whether the two zones should be merged, allowing taxis to operate freely across the entire council area.
Vehicle age limits are also highlighted as an area where the committee may wish to seek feedback. At present, wheelchair accessible vehicles must be no more than 10 years old at first licensing, while non WAV vehicles are limited to five years. These thresholds apply to both taxis and private hire vehicles and have been in place for several years. The report suggests the limits should be revisited to assess whether they remain appropriate given changes in vehicle durability, emissions standards and market condition.
Advertising rules form another potential focus of consultation. Aberdeen currently permits advertising on taxis, subject to content and placement restrictions, but prohibits advertising and branding on private hire vehicles beyond the required licence plates. Officers are proposing to ask whether the existing taxi advertising exceptions remain suitable and whether limited advertising should be allowed on private hire cars, a move that could have commercial implications for operators and booking offices.
The report also raises the ongoing debate around the future of the Street Knowledge Test, which is currently mandatory for both taxi and private hire driver applicants. Options outlined for consultation include retaining the test for all applicants, introducing an amended version for private hire drivers, or removing the requirement for private hire altogether. Any change would mark a significant shift in driver entry requirements and could affect recruitment levels across the sector.
The existing Taxi and Private Hire Policy governs a wide range of operational standards including vehicle specifications, CCTV use, inspection regimes, dress codes and medical fitness requirements under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. Officers stress that the current report does not propose immediate changes, but seeks committee direction on whether a structured review is required and which elements should be examined in detail.
If councillors approve the recommendations, stakeholders including drivers, operators, passengers and the wider public will be invited to submit views as part of the consultation exercise. Any resulting policy amendments would be considered later in 2026 following analysis of the consultation responses and further committee debate.
