NEWPORT council is again looking at putting age limits on taxis almost two years after it lost a court case on the same issue.

Under the proposals laid out in a council report, cars 15 years old or older could not be newly licensed as a hackney carriage or a private hire vehicle.

Newport licensing committee will look at the draft proposals next week as part of a new set of regulations.

Newport council tried to introduce age limits in 2009, with tighter restrictions of 12 years for hackney carriages and eight years for private hire cars.

But the same year the Newport Hackney Carriage Drivers Association won a judicial review against the plans, forcing the council to re-consult over changes to its regulations.

The new report is intended to prevent older cars being used.

But drivers who already have a vehicle licensed would be exempt until they change their vehicle or the licence is transferred to a different proprietor.

As well as the age limits, the council will also look at alternatives including testing vehicles over ten-years-old three times a year.

Other proposals include new checks on drivers to make sure they have the right to work within the EU and criminal record checks on drivers.

The proposals will be put to licensing committee tomorrow.

EDITORIAL COMMENT: Fareness over taxis, please

IT is absolutely right that Newport Council should impose strict safety regulations on taxi firms that it licenses. The safety of the travelling public is paramount.

Equally, there is no reason why a vehicle should be unsafe, just because it reaches a certain age. Lots of high-quality cars can last for decades, provided they are well maintained.

So we ask the council not to be too proscriptive on this subject with local taxi firms, who in their turn, should ensure that all of their vehicles are totally safe, as well as clean and comfortable.