Skip to main content

London’s mayor launches fund to help retire polluting diesel taxis

In the latest in a series of measures to clean up London’s toxic air, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and Transport for London (TfL) have launched a US£55 million (£42 million) fund to encourage the owners of the oldest, most polluting diesel black cabs to retire them from the Capital’s fleet. Taxis are a significant contributor to London’s toxic air quality, and are responsible for 16 per cent of NOx and 26 per cent of Particulate Matter (PM) road transport emissions in central London. From today, the own
July 28, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
In the latest in a series of measures to clean up London’s toxic air, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and 1466 Transport for London (TfL) have launched a US£55 million (£42 million) fund to encourage the owners of the oldest, most polluting diesel black cabs to retire them from the Capital’s fleet.  

 
Taxis are a significant contributor to London’s toxic air quality, and are responsible for 16 per cent of NOx and 26 per cent of Particulate Matter (PM) road transport emissions in central London.
 
From today, the owners of black cabs which are between 10 and 15 years old can check whether they are eligible for TfL’s ‘delicensing’ scheme and then apply for a grant of up to US$6,500 (£5,000) in exchange for retiring their taxi.  
 
The three-year scheme aims to speed up the process of tackling London’s filthy air, greening the Capital’s taxi fleet, and working towards the goal of making London a zero-carbon city by 2050.
 
No more new diesel taxis will be licensed in London from 1 January 2018, and a number of manufacturers are prioritising delivering new greener, state-of-the-art Zero Emission Capable (ZEC) taxis. The London Electric Vehicle Company is the first to confirm the opening of their order book, expected in August.
 
The Government’s Plug-in Taxi Grant, part-funded by the Mayor, will also give cabbies purchasing new ZEC taxis up to £7,500 towards the purchase of a new vehicle. When combined with a delicensing payment, drivers could have up to US$16,300 (£12,500) towards the purchase of a brand new ZEC taxi.
 
A greener fleet could reduce harmful NOx emissions from taxis by 45 per cent in central London by 2020, making a major contribution to cleaning up the city’s toxic air and preparing for the introduction of zero emission zones from 2025.

Related Content

  • July 16, 2015
    London to get more electric buses
    Transport for London (TfL) has announced that two further bus routes will operate entirely with electric buses from autumn next year, lowering carbon emissions and helping to improve London’s air quality. The five-year contract to operate the routes has been awarded to Go Ahead following a competitive tender process, and will mean that 51 electric buses will operate across the two routes that will become the second and third pure electric bus routes in the Capital. Go Ahead will confirm which manufactu
  • March 24, 2016
    Report highlights positive effects of US diesel emissions reduction program
    Clean diesel grants aimed at cleaning up old diesel engines have greatly improved public health by cutting harmful pollution that causes premature deaths, asthma attacks and missed school and workdays, according to a new report by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Since its start in 2008, the Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) program has significantly improved air quality for communities across the country by retrofitting and replacing older diesel engines. Diesel exhaust significantly con
  • September 4, 2018
    Petrol/diesel cars could be fined for using London’s ‘electric streets’
    Drivers in London, UK, could be fined £130 for not using electric or hybrid vehicles on nine ‘electric streets’. The project is intended to cut pollution and improve air quality. Drivers of petrol and diesel cars will be restricted from using some roads in the Shoreditch and Old Street areas of the city between 7am-10am and 4pm-7pm on weekdays.
  • January 20, 2023
    London faces ULEZ revolt by councils
    Mayor says ULEZ expansion is needed to address climate and public health goals