A LOCAL businessman has hit out at changes to legislation that he says will have a huge effect on the wedding car industry.

Brian Jay, of Jay’s Limos in Saltcoats, says that the new rules weren’t publicised properly and will leave those who rely on the hires out of pocket and could hit them hard.

The changes will see them regulated the same way as taxis and changed from the previous way of working in which they were exempt. This change would see an increase in insurance by up to £1,000.

Brian told the Herald: “We need these hires to keep going. Nobody knew about these changes, they weren’t publicised and were put through in legislation about gun licensing.

“We want wedding cars to be exempt from the changes as this could have a knock-on effect and there are four reasons why we need to be.

“There will be no cars for proms, hotels are offering an in house service so they don’t need cars, we already keep our cars to the highest standards and there is no work for three or four months of the year and this could make it worse.

“This will result in a massive amount of money for us in maintenance and things like that.”

Operators could be subject to additional inspections and insurance increases which could hit smaller businesses hard and see fees increase.

Conservative MSP for the West Region Jamie Greene hit out: “This is another example of poorly thought through legislation by the Scottish Government that was rushed through before the end of the last parliament.”

Patricia Gibson, MP for North Ayrshire and Arran, said: “The provision of the Bill that became Section 65 enjoyed broad support.

“Local authorities have considerable discretion and autonomy in this matter and a wide ranging consultation with local authorities was carried out.”