East Renfrewshire drops taxi and private hire vehicle age limits after two-year trade push
- Perry Richardson
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
East Renfrewshire Council has voted to scrap vehicle age limits for all private hire cars and taxis operating in the area. The move follows a two-year campaign by local trade representatives calling for the end of what they described as outdated restrictions.
At a meeting of the licensing committee, members agreed to remove the long-standing rule that prevented vehicles from being licensed beyond ten years old. They also voted to lift the requirement that cars be under five years old when first licensed. Both changes take effect immediately.
The Scottish Private Hire Association (SPHA), the Scottish Taxi Federation and the East Renfrewshire Hire Car Forum led the campaign, arguing that age was not a reliable measure of vehicle condition. They said the rules placed unnecessary costs on drivers and made it harder to stay in business, especially during the cost of living crisis.
Supporters of the policy change pointed to the area’s high vehicle standards. East Renfrewshire is known for having one of the most rigorous compliance tests of all 32 licensing authorities in Scotland. Campaigners said this ensured public safety without needing to rely on age-based restrictions.
Drivers can now licence vehicles of any age, so long as they meet the council’s strict compliance and safety requirements, including passing MOT and condition tests.
John Paul Duffy, Convenor of the East Renfrewshire branch of the SPHA welcomed the move, saying: “We are very pleased that the committee agreed to remove vehicle age limits today. It has been our branch's position that if a vehicle is deemed fit to pass the council’s compliance test and an MOT then there is absolutely no reason why it should be prevented from operating just because it has reached an arbitrary age limit.
“This was being campaigned for by several different trade stakeholders and we’re pleased the council has agreed with our position and voted in favour of this change.”
James Kyle, East Renfrewshire branch Chairman of the Scottish Taxi Federation, said the move would provide crucial support for operators: “It’s no secret that the trade has been struggling to recover from the pandemic, and now the cost of living crisis is biting hard. This will give vehicle operators a bit of breathing space and hopefully will allow the trade to overcome some of the economic challenges.”
