Posted on the 17th February 2026 in PHTM News

SLOUGH COUNCIL BACKTRACKS ON GREEN TAXI RULES TO PROTECT DRIVER LIVELIHOODS

Slough councillors have voted to push back strict environmental rules for taxis and PHVs to support drivers struggling with costs.

The decision marks a major U-turn on the town’s air quality plans, with officials warning the move is "quite a significant shift" from an already agreed policy

Slough Borough Council had originally planned to stop licensing new diesel vehicles from January 1, 2026 as part of an already-approved 2023 policy. However, following a meeting on Wednesday, February 11, councillors agreed to delay the ban on diesel vehicles until 2030 and petrol cars until 2031.

They also extended the maximum age for licensed cars from nine years to 12 years, provided the vehicles remain roadworthy.

The phasing out of diesel and petrol vehicles will not apply to wheelchair accessible vehicles.

The shift comes as the industry continues to recover from the pandemic and faces a lack of promised financial help. A £370,000 government grant intended to help drivers buy cleaner cars has faced "significant delay," leaving many without the means to upgrade.

Ibrar Khan, chairman of the private hire drivers’ association, told the meeting that "drivers were told help was coming. Instead, the grant [was] undelivered for years, and the policy has now gone live without the support mechanism that was used to justify [the changes]."

He argued that "this is not a risk the trade should be forced to carry." 

A report states that he project is anticipated to start this year, and will be used to allow some drivers to take part in a ‘try before you buy’ scheme and support charging costs for those who don’t have access to EV charging points.

Councillor Waqas Sabah supported this view, noting that "the infrastructure is not in place" and there is currently nothing to help drivers make the switch to electric.

Others pointed out that taxi drivers were being unfairly singled out for air pollution caused by Heathrow Airport, local industry and data centres.

Tessa Lindfield, the council’s director of public health, cautioned that the delay of the policy’s implementation to 2030 would be a "reversal" of the town's air quality management plan.

Despite these concerns, the committee voted to ‘formally’ change the Vehicle Age Policy, with four votes for, four abstentions and no votes against.


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