As of yesterday, most internal combustion vehicles - including taxis - are no longer allowed to enter Glasgow's Low Emission Zone without penalty. A green retrofit of the industry could no longer be postponed, he said. However, the city is expected to offer alternative and safe mobility solutions to compensate for the displacement of thousands of taxis.
The Scottish metropolitan government has been recently increasingly criticised for its attitude towards emission-reducing measures. Mainly the tightening of the environmental zone regulations, which came into force in Glasgow this month, is spreading concern among the population. All vehicles that no longer meet the new standards - namely all diesel vehicles registered before 2015 and petrol vehicles registered before 2006 - will no longer be allowed to drive in the low emission zone. Many motorists face a £60 fine for a breach - including taxi drivers.
Taxi associations had approached the city council several times in recent months to convince it to postpone the introduction of the stricter driving ban by at least a year - and thus not ban the most polluting vehicles until mid-2024, as in other Scottish cities. However, these requests were not acted upon. Taxis are also now officially affected by the currently active traffic regulations in Glasgow. As many as 1,000 taxi drivers will therefore be forced off the road - which could not only damage the industry but also have a devastating impact on road safety. Indeed, this is what the Glasgow Unite Cab Section of the union had warned the local authority about, stressing the important role the taxi industry plays in getting people like women and partygoers home safely. Fewer taxis on the road due to the restrictions means, in effect, fewer safe driving options to get home at night.
This is exactly why a new initiative has been launched. The "Get Me Home Safely" campaign aims to offer alternatives to the taxi industry to, for example, hospitality staff and women - primarily when public transport is suspended after midnight. According to the initiative, employers should ideally pay for this night-time home transport, supported by the city administration. The city council has already spoken out in favour of this. But it was too late to realise the possible negative effects of the environmental zone. "The SNP Greens have completely failed to explain how women will be protected if 1,000 taxi drivers are forced off the road" - criticises Thomas Kerr, leader of the Scottish Tory group in Glasgow.
The city council, however, defends itself against these accusations and explains that exemptions for taxi drivers are indeed planned. "No public taxi should disappear from the road as a result of the Low Emission Zone, with flexibility for operators until 31 May 2024 through temporary exemptions," says a council spokeswoman. At each step, she goes on to say, Glasgow authorities have supported the transition to meeting the Low Emission Zone standards. That also means allowing temporary exemptions for operators - while encouraging them to use all available means to become part of a cleaner future.
Over the next few months, the authority will continue to monitor the emissions and safety situation on the road. It is therefore uncertain at this stage what system will be introduced in the long term to provide a transport service that can meet the mobility needs of the people of Glasgow with the environment in mind. Safety and environmental protection should go hand in hand.