All licensed black cabs will have to be electric or Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (ULEV) by 2028, after the council approved plans last night.

The plans were backed by the Reading Taxi Association, which represents around 90 per cent of licensed drivers, but others hit out at the plans.

Reading Borough Council (RBC) hope the policy will help it to reduce carbon emissions in the town to zero by 2030.

Taxi driver Imran Ali said he could be up to £4,000 out of pocket as he will struggle to sell his old vehicle because of the change in policy.

Mr Ali bought a new 5b (lower emission) vehicle with the knowledge that he would be able to sell his old Euro 4 vehicle within Reading.

The new agreed policy means all replacement vehicles must be Euro 5b standard, so Mr Ali will not be able to sell his vehicle to other hackney carriage drivers in Reading.

Mr Ali said: “Myself and others in the same position should be given a small possibility to be able to sell their vehicle.

“The re-sale value of these vehicles outside Reading is very poor and it is likely that my vehicle will end up at the scrapyard.”

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Most hackney carriage drivers currently own Euro 4 vehicles, which will all have to be replaced by 2026 but the initial plans were tougher.

Asif Rashid, chairman of the RTA, said: “Initially we found it was very extreme as it didn’t give us much time.

“Subsequently we have had numerous conversations with officers and have agreed the recent action.

“Our members are happy with the agreement that we have reached.”

Councillor Tony Page, lead member for Transport and Environment, said there has been lengthy discussions between the trade and the council and compromise on both sides.

Ali Sheikh, vice chairman of the Reading Cab Drivers Association (RCDA), said he supported reducing emissions to zero by 2030 but disagreed with the council’s approach to achieving it.

He said: “On the back of the 15-year policy [introduced in October 2018] a lot of drivers have purchased vehicles recently.

“Making them change vehicles again would be very unfortunate.”

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He said: “It is unacceptable. The policy does not take into account the financial hardship colleagues are going to go through.”

The new policy includes reduced fees and incentives for electric and ULEV divers.

Cllr Page added that the council has bid for funding worth around £250,000 which would allow the council to lease electric taxis.

Sohail Abbass, representing taxi drivers without a hackney carriage licence, questioned if the council is serious about the environment by giving drivers until 2028.

He said the council should give licences to drivers “who have been waiting for a long time” and suggested they would be happy to buy electric vehicles.