Aberdeen City Council is in talks to extend the LEZ exemption for taxis and private hire cars after it emerged the local authority doesn't know how many vehicles are set to be non-compliant come June 1 and be banned from the city centre.
In June last year, the local authority began enforcing the Low Emmision Zone (LEZ) in the city centre in a bid to cut air pollution, but taxis and private hire vehicles were given an extended exemption period - up to June 1 2025.
Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the council seeking to establish how many of the city's taxis will become non-compliant with the LEZ in June and therefore unable to enter the city centre.
Now, council officials have replied to the request. Their answer? They don't know.
The revelation has set alarm bells ringing as Aberdeen is set to welcome thousands upon thousands of people to the city this summer for major events including the return of the Tall Ships and Offshore Europe.
If large numbers of taxis are unable to take fares into the city centre, it could have a devastaing knock-on effect on the many restaurants, bars, nightspots, hotels, shops and other businesses banking on bumper footfall during the events.
Bob Keiller CBE, who is leading the Our Union Street project, said: "A recent meeting of the council’s licensing committee considered the maximum number of taxis that should be permitted to avoid any over-supply. They left the limit unchanged at around 1,100. The committee considered the recommendations of an 'Unmet Demand' survey which highlighted that we have too few private hire taxis – taxis that you can pre-book but are not allowed to pick up passengers at taxi ranks. We have fewer that 300 private hire taxis.
"The problem is we have fewer that 500 taxis at the moment – and this number is likely to fall further in June if the LEZ exemption expires as planned.
"This means that we have fewer than half the number of taxis for our population than either Edinburgh or Glasgow.
"One of the main reasons for this is the insistence that all drivers (taxi and private hire) pass an extensive Street Knowledge Test which is not required in either Edinburgh or Glasgow. Despite multiple requests, the licensing committee refuses to reconsider this.
"The number of taxis and private hire cars is already critically low. It is set to drop further ahead of Tall Ships and Offshore Europe – this is economic self-harm.
"Extending the LEZ exemption might prevent an immediate fall-off in taxi numbers, but it won’t address the chronic shortage. Removing the Street Knowledge Test could create hundreds of jobs for people struggling to make ends meet."
Russell Borthwick, chief executive of Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce, said: "This year is a wonderful opportunity to show Aberdeen off as the exciting, bustling hub of innovation, industry and culture it is with many thousands of visitors set to arrive for a host of high-profile events.
"The Tall Ships, Scotland's largest free event, is shaping up to be a historic occasion in July with stunning vessels and a huge outdoor concert venue expected to draw crowds from near and far, while Offshore Europe in September will see the city flooded with the brightest and best the transitioning industry has to offer.
"With events like these, particularly Offshore Europe based largely at P&J Live, visitors will be looking to travel into the city centre from the venue at the end of each day to socialise, eat, drink and soak up the culture and entertainment.
"To end the LEZ exemption for taxis on the eve of such major events is wildly irresponsible - not least because the council seems to have no idea how badly affected the city's taxis will be by the move.
"But we already know that at peak times demand for taxis can often exceed supply. And these events will create uber-peak demand!
"We could end up with the ridiculous and embarrassing situation of having visitors travelling into the city centre and having to be dropped off on the outskirts and wait for buses or walk. Or unable to get a taxi at all.
"What sort of first impression of the city is that?
"This summer is a golden opportunity to position Aberdeen as an attractive and exciting visitor destination - and we are in danger of scoring another own goal when the solution is in our own hands.’’
Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, said: “Aberdeen Inspired has long called for swift action to address the lack of taxi provision in the city – especially at night and on weekend evenings when people are looking for a safe and reliable way to get home.
“That issue will become even more pressing if an unknown number of taxis are suddenly unable to serve parts of the city centre after the June LEZ deadline. Concerned city centre businesses – and the public - will be looking for reassurances on taxi provision and I hope that can be given as a matter of urgency.”
Independent councillor Barney Crockett said: "It's crucial decision-making is based on good data. If we don't know these things, it's irresponsible in the extreme to be making decisions going forward.
"We must make sure our city works and the traffic flows in a controlled way.
"I think it's going to be an absolutely crucial period for the city.
"We must show Aberdeen off to good affect and that certainly won't be the case if we have major issues with transport in the city centre."
In Glasgow, which is further down the line in the LEZ process and already enforced the zones for taxis, drivers struggled to meet the vehicle requirements.
One taxi driver, as reported by Yahoo News, had their license renewal application refused after failing to meet the LEZ requirements, while another was hauled over the coals for failing to “respond satisfactorily to correspondence requesting vehicle details”.
The Sun also reported on fears hundreds of Glasgow cabbies would be forced off the road by LEZ requirements, and that older drivers would retire rather than spend money upgrading or buying a new, compliant vehicle.
An Aberdeen City Council spokesperson said: “Aberdeen City Council is currently looking at options around extending the LEZ exemption for taxis and will be discussing this with the Scottish Government.
“Taxi demand was the subject of a recent report to the Licensing Committee."
That report and decisions can be found here:
https://committees.aberdeencity.gov.uk/documents/s166229/Demand%20Survey%20Report.pdf
https://committees.aberdeencity.gov.uk/documents/g9680/Decisions%2019th-Feb-2025%2010.00%20Licensing%20Committee.pdf?T=2
An Uber spokesperson said: "We should be enabling more private hire cars in Aberdeen, rather than worrying about how many will be removed due to the LEZ. Increasing the number of private hire cars would create new earning opportunities for local drivers, offer passengers greater transport options, and support local businesses - particularly in the night-time economy.
"Currently, demand in Aberdeen is not being met due to the inability for new drivers to get licensed because of the street knowledge test, which has only a 15% pass rate. This is out of step with best practice guidance from the Scottish Government, which advises that knowledge tests should not create unnecessarily high barriers to entry.
"As a result, passengers and the businesses that rely on their trade are being negatively affected."