Hyndburn Council approved a policy today aimed at encouraging taxi drivers to licence greener hybrid or electric vehicles, as part of the Council’s pledge to make the Council’s activities net-zero carbon by 2030.

The Council declared a climate emergency last year and all areas of the Council were asked to look at ways of reducing their carbon footprint.  The move comes after a taxi liaison group, made up of licensing officers, elected members and members of the hackney carriage and private hire trade, agreed that a proposition should be put to Cabinet which would allow greener hybrid and electric cars to be given a licence which would last 6 months,  rather than 4 months, which was currently the norm.

Council Leader, Councillor Miles Parkinson OBE, said:  “We are happy to back this move towards greener vehicles, as a Council we’ve already committed to making the Council’s activities net-zero carbon by 2030 and achieving 100 per cent clean energy across the full range of functions by 2030, and this is a positive step towards our goal.”

Cllr Parkinson OBE, thanked the members of the trade, saying ;”We thank the Taxi Trade for their help with the Borough’s commitment to tackle climate change.  We hope that this will incentivise applicants to purchase a cleaner Hybrid or electric vehicle as the proposals will save them money, help to reduce carbon emissions in the Borough.”

The new policy means that the cars only need to be presented for test twice a year instead of 3 times.