The UK government has pledged an additional £120 million to bolster the electric vehicle (EV) sector, with a focus on commercial and accessible transport.
A key component of this investment is the extension of the Plug-in Taxi Grant for another year, offering drivers a £4,000 incentive.
Effective from April 6, 2025, the grant aims to encourage the adoption of cleaner vehicles within the taxi industry. This move comes as part of a broader push to accelerate the transition to zero-emission transportation across various vehicle types, including vans and motorbikes.
Furthermore, the Department for Transport (DfT) has increased the cap on the Plug-in Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Grant from £35,000 to £50,000. This adjustment is designed to expand the range of accessible EV options for disabled passengers.
"From van drivers and businesses, to drivers with accessibility needs, bikers and cabbies, today we are making it easier, faster and cheaper for people to switch to electric vehicles," stated Lilian Greenwood, Future of Roads Minister.
She added, "By making the transition to zero emissions a success, we’re helping to drive growth all over the UK, putting more money in people’s pockets and rebuilding Britain to deliver our Plan for Change."
LEVC commented: "Following on from the lobbying efforts of LEVC and its industry partners, the Government has confirmed its short-term commitment to extend the Plug-in Taxi Grant (PiTG) for a further twelve months at a level of £4,000 per new vehicle. While this does represent a disappointing reduction in funding, drivers can still make the most of the current £6,000 grant and additional LEVC retail offers in March ahead of the deadline.
"We hope that the forthcoming Taxi and Private Hire Action Plan refresh, due to be published by TfL in the coming weeks, will set the longer-term regulatory direction and policy intention needed to secure and build a strong future for the taxi trade in London and in cities across the UK.
"As always, LEVC will continue to play a key role in contributing to the UK’s decarbonisation goals through the TX, the world’s most advanced zero-exhaust emission capable taxi, designed, developed and manufactured in the Midlands at LEVC’s state-of-the-art Ansty facility."
Leicestershire Police is appealing for information after a taxi driver was assaulted and his vehicle damaged in Hinckley town centre on the evening of 18 January.
At a Licensing and Regulatory Committee at City Hall on 17 February, Sunderland City Council agreed to launch a formal notice period for revised taxi fares and charges.
The meeting was organised by LPHCA as the second major collaborative project in recent weeks with the NPHTA alongside Eazitax, whom we both had worked closely with on other HMRC issues.
Mohammed Sajjad Khan, was caught on Pell Street in Barnsley in on March 10, 2024, trying to ply his Skoda Octavia as a hackney carriage.
Sevens Callback Cars Wirral reflects on a Year with the Elite Family.
Vincent O'Connor, just one month after being released from prison for a similar offence, choked and robbed Kenneth Green, stealing his day's earnings.
Hammad Ashraf Khan Manj, from Slough, offered a ride to Slough train station from near the festival site on Tessa Road.
The Rochdale event brought together PH and taxi drivers, MPs, Rochdale BC leadership, Trade Union reps, GM Police and community leaders to push for better conditions in the sector.
This new rule means drivers will be prohibited from operating until the vehicle is repaired and retested.
Kashif Iftikhar, after failing the 80-question Street Knowledge Test a staggering twelve times, offered invigilators between £700 and £800 to pass, according to reports.
Instead of stopping at barriers, drivers will be logged by ANPR and will have until midnight the following day to pay online or by phone.
The defendant was the co-owner of Lucky Seven Taxis, operating in the Midlands, which had applied for new operating licences after the death of a co-owner in late 2021.
Some disabled people are being forced to choose between staying home, risking being stranded, or relying on the police for transport.
Greater Manchester will now focus on spending £51 million on cleaner buses, £5 million on traffic management, and £8 million for taxi fleet upgrades.
A Cardiff Council scheme which has provided more than £200,000 of grants to enable the city's taxi drivers to upgrade to more fuel efficient or fully electric vehicles.
A Burnley private hire company, Apollo Taxis, has terminated its relationship with a driver after he refused to transport a disabled passenger and her assistance dog.
A video showing a Fife-licensed taxi driver being confronted in Dundee has ignited a probe into allegations of illegal operation by Fife taxis across city lines.
The driver was accused of inappropriate conversations of a sexual nature with a vulnerable young adult, including suggesting a holiday together in Benidorm and making comments about her nightwear.
Mahmood Khan, a taxi driver for over 40 years, and fellow cabbie Jake Carter allege that some Uber drivers are flouting regulations by waiting at the station without pre-booked fares, effectively poaching passengers.
In 2004, O'Leary registered his personal Mercedes-Benz S-Class as a taxi under the name "O'Leary Cabs," a move that granted him a legal loophole to drive in Dublin's bus lanes.