Skip to main content

Black taxis go green with government investment

A US$30 million fund will be made available to local authorities to support the rollout of ultra-low emission taxis across the UK. The money will be available to reduce the upfront cost of purpose built taxis and to install charging infrastructure for taxi and private hire use. A further US$37 million has been set aside specifically for the Greater London Area to help taxi drivers cover the cost of upgrading to a greener vehicle. All taxis will also qualify for the government’s plug-in car grant, whi
April 2, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
A US$30 million fund will be made available to local authorities to support the rollout of ultra-low emission taxis across the UK. The money will be available to reduce the upfront cost of purpose built taxis and to install charging infrastructure for taxi and private hire use.

A further US$37 million has been set aside specifically for the Greater London Area to help taxi drivers cover the cost of upgrading to a greener vehicle.

All taxis will also qualify for the government’s plug-in car grant, which currently offers up to US$7,400 off the cost of an eligible low emission vehicle.

Local authorities are invited to bid for feasibility studies to prepare for the rollout of these vehicles in their fleets. The full guidance is available at Ultra low emission taxi scheme.

The news follows London Taxi Company owner Geely’s announcement outlining plans for a new US$371 million state of the art facility to produce the next generation of low-emission London Black Taxis.

Geely was awarded US$25 million from the government’s Regional Growth Fund to build this facility, which will create 1,000 local jobs and ensure the London black taxi continues to be designed, developed and made in the UK.

These new taxis will comply with the new regulations being introduced by the Mayor of London that will require all London taxis to be zero-emission capable from January 2018.

Related Content

  • London's ultra-low emission zone expands to cover whole city
    August 29, 2023
    Public health measure's £12.50 daily charge is criticised as money-making exercise
  • TfL launches app to aid social distancing
    August 25, 2020
    App provides accessibility information for disabled users, TfL says. 
  • Home based real time travel information drives reduction in car use
    January 20, 2012
    David Crawford investigates a new approach to discouraging car use - the 'kitchen as travel centre'. ITS technology working together with UK planning legislation is driving an innovative 'kitchen as travel centre' approach to home design which is boosting public transport as an alternative to car use. The combination is already proving powerful enough to assuage environmentalist opposition to major urban developments. It is also being seen as a way of delivering wider social and community benefits inside an
  • Thales builds on Canadian connection for transit R&D
    June 20, 2016
    The Canadian province of Ontario is continuing to benefit from its ongoing investment in transit R&D. David Crawford looks at the impact of new investment. Developing the next generation of urban rail signalling solutions worldwide, with the emphasis on transit security and efficiency, is the goal of a recently-created business partnership between the government of the Canadian province of Ontario and Thales Canada. The wholly-owned subsidiary of the France-HQ'd global defence, aerospace and transportation