Crompton Liberal Democrat Councillor Dave Murphy was delighted to hear recently that Oldham Council will be acting on his suggestion that taxi exhaust emissions be properly tested to ensure they do not pose an undue hazard to human health.

Councillor Murphy, who carries out MOT tests in his professional life in the motor vehicle industry, posed a question at the last full meeting of Oldham Council asking why the emissions of private motor vehicles are routinely checked using specialist equipment, yet the assessment on taxis only involved a ‘visual test’.

Councillor Murphy said:  “Taxis are driven many more miles per year than an average motor vehicle, they are on the road for longer and their engines are idled for longer periods of time so a taxi could cause a lot more air pollution.  When we are trying to make sure we have clean air, why should taxis not have the same checks as our cars?”

In her written response, Cabinet Member Councillor Barbara Brownridge confirmed that “full emissions tests” will now be carried out on all vehicles.

“My query has come up trumps” said Councillor Murphy. “With over 1,100 private and public hire taxis licensed to operate on Oldham’s roads, carrying out these checks will make a big contribution to reducing air pollution”.

The question from Cllr Dave Murphy to Councillor Brownridge at Full Council 9 September 2020 read:

Private motor vehicles are subject to an annual emissions test when they have a MOT test, which is carried out by inserting a tube into the exhaust and measuring it using a calibrated emissions tester.  However, when taxis are checked through the taxi test, the emissions are only visually checked. 

Can the relevant Cabinet Member explain why there is this discrepancy between the emissions testing of private cars and taxis?

There are hundreds of taxis on our roads today. They are driven many more miles per year than an average motor vehicle, they are on the road for longer and their engines are idled for longer periods of time so a taxi could cause a lot more air pollution. 

When we are trying to make sure we have clean air, why should taxis not have the same checks as our cars? 

And can the Cabinet Member say exactly how many taxis are licensed to operate in our borough today?

The written email response from Councillor Brownridge to Councillor Murphy, dated 11 September 2020 reads:

These are the answers to the questions you asked in Council as promised:

In terms of vehicles licensed we have 1060 private hire and 85 hackneys.

At the present time testers are performing a visual test on exhausts and, if there is smoke, they then perform a full test on emissions. With the clean air proposals going out to the consultation the licensing manager feels we should have a more stringent test so has asked that full emissions tests commence on all vehicles.