Local taxis have been targeted in the first of a series of 'clean air' campaigns aimed at cutting down emissions from vehicle exhausts. During the tests - carried out at the roadside by local authority officers and the police - 20 vehicles were stopped and tested. One vehicle failed and was taken off the road. The initiative hopes to encourage operators to have their vehicles regularly serviced in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations. Said Gareth Watts, pollution control and licensing manager with Pembrokeshire County Council: "Pembrokeshire has always enjoyed good air quality but this does not mean that we can be complacent. "Emissions from road vehicles can be significant contributors to poor air quality and this particular initiative aimed at the local taxi trade was to remind operators of the need to have their vehicles regularly serviced and engines tuned to maximise fuel efficiency and reduce emissions." The tests were conducted by the county council's public protection division in partnership with Dyfed Powys Police road policing unit.
