Travel & Tourism

Greater Manchester’s ‘clean taxi’ plans backed by government funding

Greater Manchester is gradually getting greener.

Danny Jones - 9th December 2025

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s (GMCA) ‘clean taxi’ initiative has been officially backed by the UK government, with an extra boost coming from a leading electric vehicle brand.

Millions of pounds are set to be pumped into the scheme over the coming years as the North West at large strives to become greener.

The Mayor himself, Andy Burnham, has made environmentally conscious travel a core part of his plans for the city region ever since he took up the post back in 2017; now he and his team are helping link up with connections in the capital to secure further investment.

With the new £8 million Hackney Support Fund being put into action as we speak, a further £2m is now set to go towards Manchester city centre and its surrounding boroughs via LEVC.

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A post shared by LEVC (@londonevcompany)

LEVC (London Electric Vehicle Company) have done away with classic petrol and diesel engines in their particular corner of the automotive industry, setting a more eco-friendly example for metropolitan cities up and down Great Britain.

As a result, Manchester City Council and the GMCA as a whole are looking to take a leaf out of their book as part of their wider carbon reduction targets, with local authorities having recently reaffirmed their five-year ‘climate change action plan’.

For context, the Hackney Support Fund in question is a series of government-backed grants aimed at helping taxi drivers replace older black cabs with more modern, zero-emission capable vehicles.

Not only that, but LEVC will also be offering licensed carriage drivers extended warranties on new and used TX cabs – like their new ‘eCity powetrain’ pictured above – as well as taxi scrappage allowance on other models.

Like any part of the country, our region itself has its own clean air goals, and with the continued expansion of the Bee Network continuing to advance that progress, we’re heading in the right direction.

For instance, the vision for Greater Manchester to fold local rail into our native public transport services is starting to take real shape.

Tomorrow we take the first big step towards @BeeNetwork Rail. 🐝

Fares will be simpler and in most cases lower for people travelling between stations in GM. 🙌🏻

pic.twitter.com/wnJdyiHwP2
— Andy Burnham (@AndyBurnhamGM) December 6, 2025

It goes without saying that adding a fully-fledged fleet of cleaner, more energy-efficient EV taxis into that mix could help benefit these greener pursuits.

Managing Director at LEVC, Chris Allen, noted that the company has “helped the capital achieve legal air quality targets for the first time” and strongly believes that they can do the same up North.

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “Our taxi trade is a vital part of Greater Manchester’s transport network and supports the local economy.

“That’s why we’re working hard to secure funding and practical support to help drivers upgrade to cleaner, greener vehicles – improving air quality for everyone, while protecting livelihoods. By backing our taxi trade, we’re building a fairer, healthier city-region for all.”

As it happens, two towns in Trafford are already at the forefront of the ‘EV generation’ – just one of many factors, no doubt, that have contributed to a particular area being named in the nation’s best places to live.