31-03-2025
Cabbies fear 'hundreds' of taxis will be 'forced off' Manchester's roads at stroke of New Year's Eve midnight
'Hundreds' of black cabs could be 'forced off Manchester's roads' at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, drivers fear.
New emissions rules come into effect on January 1, 2026, which means older black cabs will no longer be able to run as taxis in Manchester as they're non-compliant with the Greater Manchester clean air plan.
A 'clean taxi fund' was created in the clean air deal between Andy Burnham's office and the government, designed to subsidise the cost of a new taxi. But it's only worth £8M, far below the £30M local leaders initially asked for.
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The government felt Greater Manchester could bring pollution levels within legal limits without the full £30M taxi fund, the Local Democracy Reporting Service understands, and instead provided £8M of funding for additional reassurance.
Reduced funding 'will not go anywhere near to covering' upgrades, taxi leaders claim — but they believe the bigger issue is 'a huge supply chain problem'.
'They are expecting 1,350 vehicles to upgrade between now and December 31 [across Greater Manchester],' explained Nayyer Ahmad, a Hackney Carriage driver who's plied his trade in Manchester for 24 years.
'It's £95-£100,000 for a new cab. There's very little available on the secondhand market. It physically cannot be done for 1,350 drivers.'
Another cabbie of 14 years, who asked to stay anonymous, added: "Traditional London taxis stopped being made in 2017.
'There's the minibus type, Mercedes Vito, but they come out of the factory as a van and they are converted by a company in the Midlands. There's a huge waiting list for them.
'The electric cabs are horrendously expensive. That's about £100k when you factor in insurance. And there's no charging points.'
Even though second-hand vehicles are out there, they usually cost between £30-40,000. The downturn in trade caused by the pandemic, surge in fuel prices after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and rise of alternatives like Uber and Bolt means drivers feel even this is a stretch.
Some 766 out of Manchester's 1,100 black cabs could be 'obsolete' next year, they claim. It's a prospect Mr Ahmad, 58, said would 'hurt him' because 'the black cab is a national symbol'.
The union rep is now calling on the authorities to relax the emissions rule so the drivers can run their vehicles to the standard 15-year limit, when cabs are usually barred from Manchester's roads.
'We are asking, let these vehicles run to 15 years,' he said. 'By the end of the year, 200 will have to upgrade anyway because it's the 15-year limit. But to force everyone on one cut-off date will wipe everyone out.'
In response to the pleas, a spokesperson for Manchester council said: 'For a number of years the council has been working with the taxi trade to ensure that they have a full understanding of how changes in emissions requirements could affect them.
'The council has also strongly lobbied the government, both past and present, for an expanded package of support which would allow vehicle owners to successfully make the transition to a vehicle that is compliant with new regulations.
'Officers are already preparing a report to recommend the relaxation of the compliance date and exemptions for licensees, to allow vehicle owners a longer period to switch to a vehicle that conforms to the new standards.'
The LDRS understands the report could be presented to a licensing meeting in late April.
A Transport for Greater Manchester spokesperson responded to the calls by announcing its 'proposed measures' to help the taxi trade will also be published in mid-April. A statement said: 'We are conscious that both Hackney and private hire drivers have faced really challenging times – not least the Covid pandemic and pressures from out of area licensing.
'Taxis play a crucial role in our transport network, serving our night time economy and providing a lifeline to many.
'The mayor and the city-region's ten leaders want to not only improve taxi standards, but safeguard and support the livelihoods of Greater Manchester-licensed drivers.
'Last week they held a wide-ranging discussion to consider proposals for how best to engage with and support the taxi trade.
"Details of the proposed measures will be published on Wednesday, April 16 – coinciding with a planned round table with the taxi trade – to be followed by a 12-week period of meaningful engagement on the way forward.'
