Decision Maker: Cabinet

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: Yes

Date of Decision: August 21, 2025

Purpose: To request approval of an adjustment to the implementation date due to Government funding not being approved to support all vehicle upgrades.

Content: The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Public Health and Communities, which sought agreement to delay the implementation date of the Private Hire and Hackney Emissions Standards approved in November 2024.   The Head of Public Protection was in attendance to present the information and to address the questions and the comments of the Cabinet Members.   The Officers outlined the proposals to amend the private hire and hackney emissions standard implementation date that had been approved by Cabinet on 26th November 2024. The rationale for this related to the recent agreement between the 10 Greater Manchester Authorities, Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Transport for Greater Manchester to require all fleet to be emission standard compliant by 31st August 2030.   The previous report that had been approved by Cabinet in November 2024 (Appendix 1 to the report) specified an implementation date of 31 December 2025, subject to the funding request from Government being approved. A significantly reduced amount of funding had been granted and had been ring-fenced for Hackney vehicle upgrades only.   The Officer continued informing that Cabinet approval was required to amend the implementation date to 31 August 2030, whereby all licensed hackneys and Private Hire Vehicles had to be a minimum of Euro 6 (diesel) or Euro 4 (petrol). Euro 6 (diesel) applied to all diesel vehicles registered on or after 1 September 2015. Euro 4 (petrol) applies to all petrol vehicles registered on or after 1 January 2006. This would then align with and support the Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan which was proposed to be an investment led plan aiming to have 100% of its taxi and private hire fleet licensed to a Greater Manchester Council compliant with the emissions standard.   Cabinet Members raised concerns regarding the current non-compliant vehicles and the limited funding allocation for Greater Manchester. Clarification was sought on the process for determining allocations to individual local authorities, with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) responsible for assessing distribution. The issue of professional standards among public hire taxi drivers was discussed, with emphasis on the importance of dress code and first impressions; it was proposed that a formal code of conduct be considered. It was acknowledged that this matter had yet to be addressed, but feedback was being collected as part of both national and Greater Manchester-wide reviews. Assurance was given that funding decisions would be made fairly and that no group of drivers would be marginalised. Additionally, concerns were expressed about individuals from outside the borough obtaining licences within Greater Manchester. The GM Mayor was actively working with the Combined Authority to address this through legislative measures, particularly in relation to safeguarding, with efforts being coordinated through licensing managers.   Resolved that the amendment of the implementation date from 31 December 2025 to 30th August 2030 in the Private Hire & Hackney Vehicle Standards be approved.   Reason for decision: The Government had instructed many local authorities across the UK to take quick action to reduce harmful roadside levels of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) with the Secretary of State (SoS) for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs issuing Directions under the Environment Act 1995 in 2017, requiring them to undertake feasibility studies to identify measures for reducing NO2 concentrations to within legal limit values in the “shortest possible time”.   In Greater Manchester, the 10 local authorities, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) were working together to develop a Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan (GM CAP) to tackle NO2 exceedances at the roadside.   The ‘Case for a new Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan’ proposed using Clean Air funding that the Government had awarded to the GM authorities to deliver an investment-led approach to invest in vehicle upgrades, rather than imposing daily charges, and deliver new Zero Emission Buses (ZEBs) as part of the Bee Network.   In October 2024, the final CAP submission had been made by GM to Government, and this had been accepted in January 2025. However, the Government had not agreed that all grant funding requested was required to support the taxi and private hire vehicle owner to transition to emissions compliant vehicles. It did not consider that the evidence supported £30.5m requested. It was considered that only the Hackney trade required support to upgrade its fleet and £8m had been provided.   The appraisal of the Investment-led Plan had been developed on the basis that an emissions standard, requiring all licensed hackneys and Private Hire Vehicles to be a minimum of Euro 6 (diesel) or Euro 4 (petrol), would have been adopted by all GM Authorities. Euro 6 (diesel) applied to all diesel vehicles registered on or after 1 September 2015. Euro 4 (petrol) applied to all petrol vehicles registered on or after 1 January 2006.   This meant that all vehicles licensed by Rochdale Borough Council would have to have a compliant vehicle attached to the licence by 31 August 2030. The original proposal for implementation of an emissions standard was 31 December 2025 as it was anticipated that the Government would provide funding to enable drivers to upgrade their vehicle. £30.5m was proposed for a Clean Taxi Fund, to support vehicle upgrades. The Government agreed to award £8m for hackney vehicle upgrades.   Work was being undertaken to consider how best to distribute the funding and consultations and a taxi review was currently taking place which Transport for Greater Manchester were leading on. Options to support the upgrade of non-compliant private hire vehicles was also being explored. On the basis that the funding received was not as anticipated, it had been agreed by the 10 GM Local Authorities, TfGM and GMCA that the implementation date would be revised and a new date of 31 August 2030 would be taken through governance by Local Authorities that did not have a vehicle age policy.   From 31st August 2030, all licensed vehicles would have to meet these emissions standards for consideration to be given for the vehicle to become licensed.   At the time of writing this report Rochdale has 345 of 1852 licensed vehicles that are non-compliant with the Euro 6 (diesel) and Euro 4 (petrol). This equated to approximately 18% of the total fleet with non-compliant vehicles. This had reduced naturally from 26% when the previous report had been approved in November 2025.   Consultation had been previously undertaken with the trade when Minimum Licensing Standards had been considered and the implementation of an ‘emissions standard’ had been included in the previous proposal. The consultation had not received any comments objecting to an ‘emissions standard’. Objections had primarily related to the previously proposed ‘age policy’, it was therefore anticipated that the trade would welcome an emissions standard, particularly as it was linked to having access to funding to support vehicle upgrades.   This proposal enabled emissions standards to be met by 100% of our taxi and private hire fleet, aligned with the Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan and enabled driver’s significant time to upgrade non-compliant vehicles by 31 August 2030.   Alternatives considered and rejected: The proposals were to enable Greater Manchester to comply with a Government Direction. There were no alternatives as Rochdale was one of two Greater Manchester local authorities without an emissions standard linked to vehicle licensing conditions. Our trade would be significantly disadvantaged if we did not adopt the approach that aligned with the Clean Air Investment Led Plan.