Greater Manchester has launched a new £2 million fund to help locally licensed private hire drivers switch to cleaner vehicles, improving air quality and supporting higher standards for passengers across the city-region. 

The Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) Support Fund, which is now ppen for applications, offers grants of up to £2,500 to private hire vehicle drivers licensed by one of Greater Manchester’s ten councils.

The scheme will help drivers with older vehicles upgrade to Euro 4 or higher for petrol vehicles, Euro 6 for diesel vehicles, or zero-emission capable vehicles.

The fund has been developed in response to feedback from Greater Manchester’s taxi and private hire trade through the ‘Backing Our Taxis. Local. Licensed. Trusted’ campaign.

It forms part of a wider plan to support locally licensed drivers to make the city region’s taxis and private hire vehicles among the safest, cleanest and most trusted in the country. It includes continued calls on the government to change the law on ‘out of area’ licensing.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Bev Craig, said:

“Private hire drivers play a vital role helping to keep Greater Manchester moving every day, whether that’s getting people to work, healthcare appointments, school, or helping them get home safely at the end of the day.

“We’ve listened to the trade and we’re launching this fund to offer private hire taxi drivers practical financial support to help them move to cleaner, more modern vehicles, which is good for them, passengers and good for our environment.

“I’ll continue the work with government to secure stronger legislation that better supports our locally licensed drivers. They should not be undercut by drivers licensed elsewhere, where we can’t guarantee a safe, high-quality service.”

(Picture: TfGM)