Bradford Council offers £10,000 grant to taxi drivers looking to switch to an electric cab

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Bradford Council has announced the availability of £4.1 million in grant funding to support the city's licensed taxi trade in transitioning to fully electric vehicles.

The funding aims to assist with the running costs of electric hackney carriages or private hire vehicles, providing an opportunity for drivers to purchase or lease the eco-friendly vehicles.

Applicants who choose to purchase or take out a long-term lease (minimum 2 years lease at the time the grant agreement is signed and returned) can be eligible for the grant. This scheme comes as part of the council's efforts to reduce air pollution and encourage sustainable transportation options in the area.

Bradford's taxi trade has shown great initiative in upgrading their vehicles to meet Clean Air Zone standards. Thanks to the grants that have already been issued, the city boasts the cleanest fleet in the country, with 99% of the 4,800 licensed taxis and private hire vehicles complying with the Bradford CAZ standard.

A recent trade survey conducted in the district revealed that over two-thirds (67.6%) of respondents are considering driving a fully electric hackney carriage or private hire vehicle.

The applications process for the Bradford licensed vehicle proprietors is now open. The grant amount for non-Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles will be increased from £6,000 over 2 years to £10,000 over 2 years, aligning it with the Hackney Carriage and Wheelchair Accessible Private Hire Vehicle EV grants. Proprietors who have already upgraded to other compliant vehicle types, such as petrol-electric hybrids, can also apply for a top-up grant if they choose to switch to fully electric vehicles. It is important to note that the grants will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

This grant funding initiative by Bradford Council is not only expected to drive the transition to cleaner transportation options in the region but also act as a catalyst for other cities to follow suit in the pursuit of reducing air pollution and embracing sustainable practices.

Cllr Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Healthy People and Places, said: “We recognise that there is a desire from the taxi trade to switch to fully electric vehicles. We want to further support the taxi trade by offering up to £10,000 per vehicle in grant funding to assist proprietors with the running costs of a fully electric Hackney Carriage or Private Hire Vehicle. This is the highest grant of this type in the UK.”