A new look for all Hackney carriages

London has black cabs, New Yorks taxis are yellow but the East Ridings Hackney carriages will be white and green by December 2020.

Councillors agreed on Tuesday that the fleet of 145 taxis operating in the county should have a uniform look.

Drivers can apply for a grant of between £300 and £500 to help with the cost of meeting the new criteria, although it has been acknowledged that there is not unanimous support for the idea.

A report to the council’s cabinet by Nigel Leighton, director of environment and neighbourhood servicesstates: “Taxi livery will raise standards in the licensed trade as well as promote public safety.

“Funding or part funding of the scheme will ensure that a livery can be successfully implemented to promote the aims of the policy but without detrimentally impacting on local business.”

All Hackney carriages must be displaying the new white and green look by December 2020.

It follows moves by councils in Brighton, Bournemouth, Nottingham, Leeds, Windsor, Guildford and Maidenhead where all the vehicles have the same livery.

Mr Leighton’s report added: “The response from the licensed trade has, in the main, been positive and many of the taxi trade have volunteered to be the first to undergo the livery change. This support is welcomed. It is acknowledged that there is a small minority of vehicle owners who are not accepting of the proposals and continue to challenge the council’s proposals.”

The council said the design will also create an East Riding brand, allowing customers to differentiate Hackney carriages clearly from private hire vehicles and “support the high professionalism of the local trade”.

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