Dear Cllr Tom Adams,
We are writing on behalf of the East Fife Taxi Association to request that Fife Council reviews its current policy on vehicle age limits for taxis and private hire vehicles. The five-year limit on entry and the cap on continued use, ten years for standard vehicles and twelve years for wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs), is now placing unnecessary and disproportionate strain on operators across the region.
The current policy is no longer viable as the economic landscape for taxi businesses has changed dramatically. Operators are facing:
Increased vehicle costs across the board, both new and used
Rising garage labour rates and parts costs
Soaring insurance premiums and fuel prices
Repeated rises in the National Minimum Wage
A significant rise in employers’ National Insurance contributions
Fare rates that have not kept pace with inflation
A shrinking night-time economy as local customers cut back due to the cost-of-living crisis
These pressures are forcing experienced operators out of the trade. For those who remain, being compelled to replace vehicles that are fully roadworthy and professionally maintained purely because of age is both wasteful and unaffordable.
Safety depends on maintenance, not the model year. The idea that newer always means safer is not supported by data. A well-maintained six-year-old Skoda Superb offers better real-world safety than some brand-new budget cars. For instance, a new Dacia Sandero scores only 2 stars on Euro NCAP, while a six-year-old Skoda Octavia typically retains a 5-star rating.
The Scottish Government’s 2023 guidance on taxi licensing states:
“The setting of an age limit beyond which a licensing authority will not licence vehicles is somewhat arbitrary and disproportionate… it is perfectly possible for a well-maintained older vehicle to be in good condition.”
Fife already requires rigorous testing. These inspections, not arbitrary age caps, are the correct safeguard for public safety.
Other councils have modernised their approach with several local authorities have already moved away from hard age limits:
East Renfrewshire Council has removed vehicle age restrictions entirely, relying on testing standards to maintain safety.
South Ayrshire Council, in a 2024 review, acknowledged the financial damage strict age limits cause to the trade.
The South Ayrshire Council report noted:
“There are potential risks to the sustainability of businesses… given the challenging economic conditions.”
Our Proposal
We respectfully ask Fife Council to adopt a more flexible and modern approach:
Remove the five-year limit for vehicles entering the taxi and private hire fleet
Permit vehicles to remain in service beyond ten or twelve years, provided they pass inspection
Maintain the current annual inspection regime up to 10 years of age, with any further testing frequency determined by data, not arbitrary rules
This approach would:
Ease pressure on businesses already grappling with rising costs
Encourage sustainability and reduce unnecessary scrappage
Support availability of wheelchair accessible vehicles, which are costlier to replace
Align Fife with national guidance and practice in other councils
Continue to uphold public safety through inspection-based standards
We would welcome the opportunity to meet with Licensing officers or committee members to discuss this in more detail and share lived experiences from operators across East Fife.
Yours sincerely,