Wyre Forest District Council proposal could stop fossil-fuelled taxis entering the trade from 2027

All hackney carriages and private hire vehicles entering the fleet in Wyre Forest could be a lot greener from 2027 due to a change to Wyre Forest District Council’s licensing policy.

The council is consulting on its proposal to reform its hackney carriage and private hire vehicle licensing policy.

The proposed changes aim to reduce the impact the fleet has on the environment. The new policy would mean no fossil-fuel driven vehicles could enter the fleet after 31 December 2026. It would not affect any vehicles that had already been licensed before that date.

The council is also looking at changing the maximum age vehicles can be when they enter the fleet and when licences are renewed. Licensing fees for vehicles that do not use fossil fuels may also be reduced as part of the policy reform.

Reviewing the policy is part of its Climate Change Plan as the council works to achieve Net Zero by 2050.

Residents can have their say on the plans to reform the hackney carriage and private hire vehicle licensing policy by visiting the taxi survey webpage. The consultation closes at 5pm on Friday 3 November. Consultation with the trade is also taking place.

The consultation was agreed at a recent meeting of the council’s Licensing and Environmental Committee.

Councillor Paul Harrison is the Chairman and he said: “We are asking people to have their say on plans to move the hackney carriages and private hire vehicle fleet to one that doesn’t use fossil fuels, in order to reduce its impact on the environment.

“The Council declared a climate change emergency in 2019 and reducing the dependence on fossil fuels would contribute to reductions in carbon emissions. We also monitor and take action on air quality issues. A transition to vehicles which don’t rely on fossil fuels is expected to lead to an improvement in air quality.”