A TWO-YEAR campaign to provide Minehead with its first fully electric taxi has been blocked for a second time by Somerset West and Taunton Council.

Alcombe Taxis owner Keith Griffiths bought the £35,000 Nissan Leaf electric car in 2018 to provide the town with eco-friendly transport but was refused a full taxi licence because the then West Somerset Council’s rules made no provision for licensing electric vehicles.

This week Mr Griffith suffered a further setback when the district council (SWAT) refused permission for him to take over a hackney carriage licence handed back by a retiring taxi-owner, saying that under the current rules only cars, not licence plates can be transferred.

“My answer to that is that if they are the rules, they are out-of-date, backwards and stupid,” Mr Griffiths told the Free Press. “Am I the only person who thinks that the lunatics have taken over the asylum?”

He was backed this week by local MP Ian Liddell-Grainger, who said: “Common sense appears to have been thrown out of the Window at SWAT. It really is time a few heads were banged together and this scandalous situation was resolved.”

And Minehead mayor Cllr Paul Bolton added: “We are all trying to go down the green route and have signed up to climate change and they are putting obstacles in the way of someone who is trying to do the right thing.

“I don’t agree with what the district council is doing and I think the treatment of Mr Griffith is disgraceful.

“Minehead Town Council has supported Mr Griffith in everything he is trying to do. Electric vehicles will be the future for all of us and it’s ridiculous that this green alternative is being denied to anyone who wants to take a taxi in Minehead.”

For the past two years, the electric car has only been used for private hire while Mr Griffith pressed the council to sort out what he claimed was a mass of red tape and confusing rules.

He said: “I’m stuck with a vehicle I can’t use as a taxi while the Government is spending millions encouraging the use of electric vehicles and the local council actively promotes the message of being green and sustainable.”

A spokesman for SWAT said: “We fully support local taxi operators who are looking to change their vehicles to electric ones and will be looking at ways we can encourage more to go green in the future in line with our commitment towards achieving carbon neutrality and climate resilience by 2030.

“Council policy was changed in 2006 requiring all new taxi vehicles to be capable of carrying wheelchairs; this was done in line with advice from central government and in order to support those with disabilities to live independently. Our policies are readily available to all and they form a cornerstone to ensure a level and consistent playing field.

“The application for the electric vehicle was refused on the grounds that the vehicle is not suitable to carry wheelchairs. The transfer of Private Hire plates and Hackney Carriage Licences is not allowed as this could bring non-compliant vehicles into operation, which would be the case here. Since 2006 it has been clear to all that taxi vehicles needed to be accessible to wheelchairs.”

For the full story, see today’s Free Press