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Bury Council proposes extending private hire vehicle age deadline to May 2027
Bury Council is considering extending its private hire vehicle age compliance deadline to 31 May 2027, allowing a small number of existing vehicle proprietors additional time to replace older cars.
A report prepared for the authority’s Licensing and Safety Committee meeting on Thursday 5 November recommends moving the deadline from 4 January 2027.
Council officers have identified 10 private hire vehicles operating under transitional arrangements that do not meet the adopted age policy. The vehicles represent approximately 1.4% of Bury’s 708 licensed private hire vehicles, according to figures recorded in October 2026.
Under the proposed arrangements, affected proprietors whose licences fall due for renewal after 4 January could apply to retain their existing vehicles temporarily.
Any renewal would depend on the vehicle passing the council’s compliance testing requirements.
Successful applicants would receive a licence subject to a condition requiring the vehicle to be removed from service and replaced with a compliant alternative by 31 May 2027.
The proposed extension follows a decision by the Licensing and Safety Committee on 8 October to extend the emissions compliance deadline for certain existing private hire vehicles to the same date.
Officers argue that applying equivalent transitional arrangements to vehicles exceeding the age limit would provide consistency across the licensed fleet.
Bury currently permits standard private hire vehicles to remain licensed for up to 12 years, while wheelchair-accessible private hire vehicles have a maximum age of 17 years.
The latest proposal would not change those limits. Instead, it would temporarily extend the period available to existing proprietors operating vehicles that fall outside the age requirements.
The report identifies difficulties associated with purchasing replacement vehicles and completing the licensing process before the existing January deadline.
Trade representatives raised concerns about the approaching compliance deadline during a Trade Liaison Group meeting on 7 September. The council also points to the availability of external financial assistance, which could help eligible proprietors replace older vehicles.
However, the report does not establish how many of the 10 affected proprietors qualify for funding or have already arranged replacement vehicles.
Officers have examined vehicle age requirements across Greater Manchester, identifying differences between neighbouring licensing authorities.
The comparison shows that Manchester and Wigan also permit standard private hire vehicles up to 12 years old, while Trafford applies a 10-year limit. Council officers believe the extension could help maintain the viability of local private hire businesses by reducing immediate vehicle replacement pressures.
Proprietors failing to replace non-compliant vehicles by the proposed May deadline could face enforcement action, including licence suspension, revocation or refusal to renew.
The Licensing and Safety Committee is scheduled to consider the recommendation on 5 November, before the matter proceeds to Full Council on 11 November.
The extension has not yet received final approval, and the existing age requirements remain in place pending a decision.
