By Julian Whittle

UP TO 16 older taxis could be forced off the streets of Carlisle as a result of changes to licensing rules.

City councillors yesterday agreed changes that aim to ensure more taxis can carry wheelchairs and almost none will be more than 10 years old.

At present, saloon-car “white” taxis have to be under three years when first licensed and are usually retired when they reach five years but there are no such age restrictions on London-style black cabs.

That will change from August 1, when:

New licences will be issued only for wheelchair-friendly taxis such as black cabs and the Peugeot E7;

These vehicles must be no more than three years old when first licensed;

They will be retired at 10 years unless in “exceptional condition”.

The rule change will hit 16 black cabs already over 10 years old, which may be forced off the road immediately.

Drivers who hold licences for saloon-car taxis will be allowed to replace their cars with similar vehicles. And if they want to change job or retire they will be able to sell their saloon-car licences.

But, in the long run, there should be fewer saloon cars as most new entrants to the taxi trade will have to buy wheelchair-accessible cabs.

Opponents argue that the changes will deter would-be drivers as a new London-style cab costs £30,000, compared with £12,000 for a Skoda Octavia saloon car.

Driver Brian McCullough told the council’s regulatory panel there would a thriving black market in saloon-car licences, which he predicted would change hands for £10,000.

And Sam Salkeld, a former chairman of Carlisle Taxi Association, argued against having a 10-year upper age limit for black cabs.

He said: “We have five-year-old vehicles [maintained] to a lesser standard mechanically and cosmetically than some 10-year-old vehicles.”

However, the Taxi Association’s current chairman, David Irving, spoke in favour of the changes.

And licensing officer Barry Sharrock warned that proposed legislation would force the council to restrict new licences to wheelchair-friendly cabs from 2010.

He added: “The proposals [today] would ease Carlisle into this and address the Disability Discrimination Act duty on the council to promote disabled equality.”

Carlisle currently has 203 taxis, of which 94 can carry wheelchairs.

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