Post published on January 25, 2024.

The LGA has produced a table which seeks to map the levers local regulatory services have at their disposal to help deliver councils net zero ambitions.

The document includes a range of licensing related actions, including:

• Use the council’s taxi/private hire vehicle licensing policy to mandate emissions standards of vehicles to remove vehicles with poor emissions ratings from the road. Councils may find the Energy Saving Trust’s guidance on this issue useful.
• Incentivise drivers to switch to lower emissions or electric taxi/private hire vehicles, for example by reducing licence or renewal fees, exempting such vehicles from clean air zone fees or simplifying the inspection regime.
• Consider the scope for mandating environmentally friendly requirements in other policies, such as street trading and requiring the use of recyclable paper bags, for example.
• Use licensing policies to influence businesses, festivals or events and encourage environmentally friendly practices, such as using recyclable or reusable plates and glasses, making provision for public transport options or limiting private parking.

It is split into four broad categories of activity, which are then broken down into individual touchpoints identifying specific work areas and actions that can influence the journey to net zero. Councils can download the document and edit it to tailor it to local circumstances.

Councils can download the document and edit it to tailor it to local circumstances.