Air Quality - Identification of taxi and private hire vehicles entering charging Clean Air Zones

Overview

We want to know what you think about our solution to identify taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) entering or moving within a Clean Air Zone. This will require local authorities in England and Wales to share certain details on licensed taxis and PHVs to a central database. A Clean Air Zone is an area where a local authority has taken targeted action to improve air quality. In some cases vehicles will be charged to enter or move around in the Clean Air Zone if their vehicle fails to meet the required emission standards.

The consultation includes the consultation document and the Regulatory Triage Assessment.

Before responding to the questions set out in this consultation, we recommend that you read all of the documents.

Why your views matter

We want to know if the creation of a centralised database to enable the identification of all taxis and PHVs operating in England and Wales, regardless of where they have been licensed, for the enforcement and operation of charging Clean Air Zones is the correct approach. If the approach to mandating licensing authorities to share this data through the use of powers under the Environment Act 1995 is the best way of doing this.

If you would like to keep in contact with us to express interest in this, or any other Defra consultation, please give us your details through the link below

https://gov.smartwebportal.co.uk/defra/public/webform.asp?id=108&id2=1D06F7

What happens next

The Government will aim to publish a summary of responses within 12 weeks of the consultation end date.