Taxi drivers in Reading have opposed measures that could phase out fully petrol and diesel cabs from the town's roads.

Cabs, which are also known as hackney carriages are a convenient mode of taxi transport, where drivers can be hailed from a street and taken to a customers' chosen destination.

Reading Borough Council has had a hackney carriages emissions & age policy since 2019.

The council now wants to update this policy, which would remove 15 Euro 5a diesel cabs from the road, and require that all replacement vehicles are at minimum ultra-low emissions (ULEVs) and under eight years old by October 2025.

To be considered a ULEV, a vehicle must be hybrid or fully electric.

Also, by October 2028, it would require that all replacement cabs to be ULEV and under five years old.

A statutory consultation was held from September 9 to October 7, which had to be conducted prior to any changes being made.

The chairman of the Reading Taxi Association (RTA) which represents hundreds of drivers has objected to the changes.

He earlier stated the measures would be a 'noose around the necks' of drivers.

READ MORE: Taxi driver says cab phase out is 'a noose around our necks'

Asif Rashid, the chairman of the RTA said: "The focus of these policies is disproportionately directed towards the Hackney Carriage trade.

Our members feel the Hackney Carriage trade is being unjustly targeted.

"The current approach implies that emissions problems in Reading are solely due to the Hackney Carriage trade, which is incorrect.

"The new proposals would impose high costs on the trade, which could have a detrimental impact on many of our members."

He went on to argue that the council has ignored the pollution created by private hire taxis and school transport vehicles in its policy measures.

Instead, Mr Rashid suggested that electric vehicles aged eight to 10 years should not be phased out but subjected to inspections to ensure they are in good condition.

Furthermore, he asked for the maximum age for ULEVs should be increased from 15 to 20 years.

Other than Mr Rashid, the consultation received four responses from residents.

One person suggested that diesel cabs should all comply with Euro 6 emissions standards, meaning cabs would have to be from 2016 or later.

They went on to argue that hybrid petrol or battery electric vehicles (BEV's) would be preferable and wondered whether all new cabs could be required BEVs, which has been the case in London since 2018.

READ MORE: Cab drivers push for access to major north-south bus lane

The aims of the policy is to phase out polluting vehicles, improve air quality and meet the council's goal of a net zero carbon emissions Reading by 2030.

Another respondent to the consultation opposed the measures, arguing that drivers should receive support from the council to decarbonise.

They said: "I disagree with this proposal as doesn’t consider any financial benefit to drivers.

"If it’s all about the environmental impact then vehicle owners should be helped by the council as much as Reading Buses."

Another respondent raised alarm about the number of cabs demonstrating the licence details of the cab owner, but the vehicle being driven by someone else.

They called this situation 'frightening' and asked for licensing checks to be held more often to ensure drivers are licenced.

Drivers who do not own cabs but possess licences are allowed to hire their vehicles from owners.

Changes to the council's hackney carriages emissions & age policy are due to be discussed at a meeting of its licensing applications committee on Thursday, November 14.