Working with London’s black-cab drivers to call for better support for those keen to switch to electric vehicles.
Right now, around 60% of London black cabs already run on electricity, and Transport for London (TfL) is keen to reach 100% as quickly as possible.
We know that most black-cab drivers are keen to get an electric taxi - but many of them can’t.
Until recently, licensed taxi drivers were supported to make the switch to clean vehicles; they could make use of a funded scrappage scheme and benefit from lower borrowing costs when purchasing electric vehicles. This support no longer exists.
Instead, TfL’s new strategy is to only give new licences to electric vehicles, and just wait until the remaining diesel cabs to come off the road. This means that, once the 12 year legal lifespan comes to an end, cab drivers of diesel taxis are forced to either shell out for new electric taxis or stop being cabbies altogether.
Cab drivers we’ve spoken to want to drive electric.
Continuing to rely on diesel cabs to earn a living is costing cab drivers more in fuel and is causing unnecessary harm in terms of both toxic air and harmful greenhouse gases. What’s more, many cabbies worry that the lack of support will push them out of a job altogether - an electric taxi costs nearly £70,000, and if they can’t afford to buy one when their diesel car dies, they won’t be able to get a licence at all.
We’ve teamed up with the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA) to win support for cab drivers who want to switch to electric. Together, we can draw attention to the barriers that London’s taxi drivers are facing, and make the case for government support.
How does this campaign help accelerate the shift to a zero carbon UK?
Transport is the biggest source of UK emissions, and cars are the biggest contributor to transport emissions. It’s no surprise, therefore, that communities, charities (including us), and politicians, are keen to accelerate the shift from car dependency and support more people to choose active travel and public transport.
We need to do this right. Taxi drivers have to drive cars for work for a living, and as such, they are key stakeholders in policies aiming to reduce car use. London taxi drivers, for example, are self-employed, but highly regulated by Transport for London - this makes their work more precarious and vulnerable to new regulations, as they depend on TfL for their individual licences.
At Possible, we want to see a zero carbon society built by and for everyone in the UK, and that means working with taxi drivers for a just transition.