Greater Manchester has launched a £2 million fund to help locally licensed private hire drivers replace older vehicles with cleaner models.
The Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) Support Fund opens for applications today, Tuesday 15 September, and offers grants of up to £2,500 to drivers licensed by one of the region’s 10 councils.
The scheme is designed to help drivers upgrade older vehicles to meet cleaner standards. Eligible replacements include petrol vehicles meeting Euro 4 or higher, diesel vehicles meeting Euro 6, and zero-emission capable vehicles.
Greater Manchester says the fund aims to improve air quality while supporting higher standards for passengers across the city-region.
The scheme was developed following feedback from the local taxi and private hire trade through the “Backing Our Taxis. Local. Licensed. Trusted” campaign.
It forms part of a wider plan by the Mayor and Greater Manchester leaders to make the region’s taxi and private hire services among the safest, cleanest and most trusted in the country.
The new fund follows the existing Hackney Support Fund, which was launched in December 2025 to help licensed black cab drivers move to cleaner vehicles. Funding has already been committed to more than 400 locally licensed black cab drivers.
Taxis and private hire vehicles play a major role in Greater Manchester’s transport network, making around 120,000 journeys a day and an estimated 44 million trips each year.
The Government has confirmed plans to bring forward a Draft Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny. Further decisions on national taxi and private hire standards, including whether licensing powers should move to Local Transport Authority level, are expected later in 2026.
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.’
John Potts, a Stockport-licensed hackney cab driver, who recently switched to a 100% electric Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle, said: ‘Making the move to an electric vehicle has opened up a whole new career for me. It’s a pleasure to drive, passengers love it and it feels good to know it’s good for the environment too.
‘The biggest challenge for many drivers is the upfront cost of changing vehicles. Financial support like this made such a big difference to me and the whole process was really straightforward. I’d definitely encourage others to look into it and take advantage of the fund.’
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