More than 100 taxis have been successfully retrofitted with LPG engines, thanks to the Scottish Government’s grant of over £1 million in support to small taxi owners in Glasgow and Edinburgh to help comply with Scotland’s Low Emission Zones (LEZs), which will be introduced by May 2022.

The Low Emission Zone Retrofit Fund provides financial support to micro-businesses in one of Scotland’s four proposed LEZs (Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Dundee, and Glasgow) to convert polluting vehicles with Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme (CVRAS) approved solutions that meet the minimum proposed standards of the LEZs. Grants of up to £10,000 are available to cover up to 80% of the cost of a retrofit solution.

“I’m pleased that Scottish Government funding is already helping over 100 taxis in our two largest cities to comply with forthcoming Low Emission Zone requirements, said Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Michael Matheson. “LEZs are crucial to protecting public health by improving air quality. They also contribute to our wider climate objectives. Funding will again be available in April 2021.”

Taxis are retrofitted with a full engine replacement and receive a Euro 6 category Autogas engine or alternatively for some taxi models, a brand-new Euro 6 exhaust. The LPG engine is cheaper to run for taxi drivers, provides a quieter and smoother experience for passengers and provides cleaner air with reduced carbon dioxide emissions, so there are multiple benefits.

To focus on maintaining accessibility, retrofitting was prioritised at wheelchair accessible taxis in the first instance. The funding has been made available via Transport Scotland and the Energy Saving Trust. For more information, please check this link.

31 March 2021