Posted on the 30th September 2025 in PHTM News

AGE CAP LIFTED FOR BOLTON HACKNEY CARRIAGES

At a meeting of Bolton Council’s Licensing and Environmental Regulatory Committee, members backed proposals to remove the age cap and instead require all licensed hackney carriages and private hire vehicles to meet emissions standards by 31 August 2030.

This change brings Bolton into line with the Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan and Department for Transport guidance, which warns councils against setting arbitrary age limits.

Officials said older but well-maintained vehicles can often be cleaner than newer petrol or diesel cars, and that twice-yearly MOTs and compliance tests will ensure safety standards remain high.

Since 2004, hackney carriages in Bolton could not be licensed if they were more than 10 years old at first grant, or more than 15 years at renewal.

Councillors were told keeping that rule risked drivers missing out on government funding and left many struggling to meet the previous compliance deadline of December 2025.

Figures show 54 hackney carriages and 319 private hire vehicles in Bolton are not currently compliant with Euro 6 diesel or Euro 4 petrol standards.

The new 2030 deadline reflects delays in government funding and negotiations between Greater Manchester councils and ministers, with leaders across the region keen to avoid “licence shopping” between boroughs.

The government has set aside £8m in Clean Taxi Fund grants for hackney carriages across Greater Manchester, with support offered on a tiered basis:

• £12,560 for a zero-emission wheelchair-accessible cab

• £6,280 for an emissions-compliant petrol/diesel WAV

• £7,530 for a new or second-hand zero-emission non-WAV

• £3,770 for an emissions-compliant petrol/diesel non-WAV

• £6,280 for an emissions-compliant 6+ seat non-WAV

However, no funding has yet been confirmed for private hire drivers, a move which has left many in the industry frustrated.

Labour councillor Donaghy warned that hackney carriages, while declining in number, still play a crucial role.

He said: “While we have seen the diminution with hackney carriages within the borough they are particularly useful for children’s services and for elderly in transporting people round, and I am worried that this could have an impact on the council.”

Licensing manager Patricia Clyne told the committee hackney numbers have “dropped to nearly half” of pre-Covid levels.

She said the high cost of purpose-built vehicles, combined with the growth of booking apps, had hit the trade hard.

But she added that removing the age policy could encourage new drivers to join the fleet.

She said: “If we remove the HC age policy we have a number of open applications where people made the application for the licence because of the limit on number but just not been able to afford or find a vehicle. If we remove the age policy, some may now go and find a vehicle.”

"Given that our age policy to come onto the fleet is ten or below it is hoped that this might encourage that have those open license may now go and find a vehicle. We may find there is an increase but longer term the HC industry is suffering significant decline.”


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