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.
Urban Traffic Control

Related Content

  • TfL policy to ensure private hire remains safe and convenient
    February 19, 2018
    Transport for London (TfL) has launched a policy statement in response to changes in the private hire industry and new services available. It aims to keep the capital at the forefront of regulating taxi and private hire services while maintaining the safety of passengers. As part of a series of changes to increase industry standards, TfL is advancing regulations to assess private hire drivers and applicants on safeguarding, disability, equality and knowledge of private hire vehicle (PHV) legislation as
    Read More
  • Europe-wide demonstration of electric buses begins in Barcelona
    October 16, 2014
    A major step towards greener urban public transport was made this week with the launch of the first ZeEUS (Zero Emission Urban Bus System) demonstration in Barcelona. The flagship project is the first of its kind to test 12 metre-plus electric buses in real operation. Barcelona is the first demonstration site of the UITP-coordinated ZeEUS project, with core demonstrations in seven other European cities to follow: London and Glasgow; Stockholm; Münster and Bonn, Plzen and Cagliari. In total, 35 plug-in hy
    Read More
  • Dynamic charging boosts electric vehicles’ potential
    December 16, 2014
    With an increasing need to use electric vehicles in city centres to reduce pollution, David Crawford looks at various solutions to power delivery. The UN’s September 2014 Climate Summit has added fresh momentum to the drive to increase urban electric vehicle (EV) takeup. It has launched the Urban Electric Mobility Initiative, which wants to see EVs accounting for 30% of all urban travel by 2030, and make cities worldwide more friendly to their use. Encouragingly, the plan is being well supported by commerci
    Read More
  • Smart Spanish city trials cell-based traffic management
    November 7, 2013
    David Crawford reports on an urban electronic nervous system. The northern Spanish city of Santander – historically a port - is now an emerging technology showcase attracting global attention as a prototype for a medium-sized smart city of the future. In a move to determine the optimal use of available data, it is creating a de-facto experimental laboratory for sensor and mobile phone-based urban traffic management and environmental monitoring innovations.
    Read More

Highlighted Content