News

Why it could be the end of the road for hundreds of cabbies

With taxi drivers struggling to afford vehicles that meet new emissions regulations – and forking out hundreds of pounds to fix damage caused by potholes – it is no surprise that many cabbies in one city have had enough.

Should Private Hire Vehicles be allowed to use bus lanes?

As one authority moves towards letting private hire drivers use a bus lane on a busy route, we look at why they aren’t allowed to use them in the first place, and what happens to drivers who ignore the rules.

Access to bus lanes is decided by each local authority and it is usually only buses, public hire taxis, cyclists and motorcyclists can use them. Some are permanent bus lanes while others are only operational from set times, such as morning and evening rush hours, or throughout the day.

Taxi drivers are switching off to help cut pollution

A city which is cutting pollution without charging motorists to use its busiest streets is now calling on taxi drivers to switch off their engines whenever they are parked.

The new rules apply to all motorists in Brighton and Hove’s low emissions zone, with fines being issued for those who leave their engines running while they are parked – including cabbies waiting at taxi ranks.

Greener vehicles could be the key to city’s Clean Air Zone, not charging

Manchester’s Clean Air Zone plan could see millions of pounds made available for greener taxis and commercial vehicles, while no one will be charged or fined for driving on the region’s roads in older, more polluting vehicles.

Huge public backlash led the region’s leaders to do a U-turn over the original plans.

Will commuters turn to e-scooters instead of taxis?

The journey to work seems to get worse each day and commuters are trying to find new ways to beat the queues, with one in five turning to e-scooters instead of taxis and their own cars. This could be good news for the drive to reduce emissions and improve air quality.

Top five private hire taxis

As we continue the drive towards cutting pollution, a vehicle’s green credentials are top of the list for taxi drivers when it’s time to change their cabs.

While their new vehicle has to be suited to private-hire taxi work, its emissions are now just as important to drivers as the amount of room for passengers and luggage.