Message from TfGM - Taxi trade updates

EV tariff

In November 2019 the GMCA gave the Chief Executive Officer, GMCA & TfGM, in consultation with the GM Mayor, authority to approve both the EV Membership Scheme and to implement the electric vehicle charging tariff.

Eamonn Boylan has therefore consulted with the Deputy Mayor Sir Richard Leese and has approved the Membership Scheme and agreed to implement the tariff.

This gives Be.EV 30 days to notify members of the change in T&C’s prior to the implementation date of 1st October 2021.

The call-in period has now ended.

In summary the tariffs will be:

Tariffs are pence per kilowatt hour (kWh), inclusive of VAT and taxi membership tariff only applies to taxi dedicated charging points.

Registration for Be.EV membership is currently free of charge, members then get sent an RfID card.

We have developed a taxi-only membership with Be.EV this includes a validation in TfGM’s Travelshops to identify drivers are a GM Licensed, utilising their driver taxi registration card, registration plate and license plate.

Be.EV chargers for taxi will be rapid only and restricted to taxi’s use only and therefore branded “Rapid Chargers for Taxi/PHV use only”

The taxi tariff would only be valid at the dedicated taxi charging posts, the first will be in place with early measures funding at Hardman Street, Manchester. With the OZEV funded 30 points to follow early next year. Taxi drivers using public posts would be charged the normal membership price.

Taxi Validation Process

You MUST be a GM-licensed taxi driver (hackney or private hire) to join. Its free and simple, just follow these simple steps:
Register as a Be.EV member which you can do via Be.EV.co.uk

To further validate that you are a GM-licensed taxi driver you will need to visit one of TfGM’s Travelshops in Greater Manchester with the following:

• your Be.EV membership email address
• your taxi badge/s issued by your local authority

TfGM will then notify Be.EV that your details have been confirmed. Taxi validations are uploaded weekly after which you will be able to begin using the taxi-specific charging points. The date on which your access will be activated will be given as part of the validation process.

*THIS PROCESS IS NOT YET LIVE, TARGET DATE IS THE 9TH SEPTEMBER AND FURTHER COMMS TO BE SENT*

Vehicle dealers sought for multi-million-pound Clean Air Zone vehicle upgrade scheme

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is seeking vehicle dealers to join the GM Clean Air Plan accredited dealership scheme. More than £120m government funding has been secured to help eligible vehicle owners affected by the introduction of Greater Manchester’s Clean Air Zone on 30 May 2022.

Vehicles included in the category C GM Clean Air Zone are LGVs, HGVs, buses, coaches, minibuses, motorhomes, private hire vehicles and hackney carriages which do not meet emissions standards. Private cars, mopeds and motorcycles are not included in the Zone.

Megan Black, TfGM’s Head of Logistics and Environment, said: “We’re preparing to roll out one of the biggest Clean Air Zones in Europe from next year and this includes the distribution of more than £120m in funding support to help eligible local businesses and drivers to upgrade non-compliant vehicles as soon as possible.

“That’s why we need a network of accredited dealers who supply vehicles of the types that will be affected by the Clean Air Zone, from hackney cabs and private hire vehicles to lorries, vans, minibuses, buses and coaches.

“This isn’t a scrappage scheme, and it’s not open to brokers. We’re looking to work with independent, franchised and manufacturer direct dealerships for both new and used vehicles to help make sure that those eligible for financial support from the scheme can easily upgrade to compliant vehicles. “I’d encourage any dealers who meet our criteria to register their interest now.”

Grants and vehicle finance subsidies will be available for affected vehicle owners and businesses in Greater Manchester from November 2021.

It is free-of-charge to become a financial support scheme-accredited dealership and more information is available by emailing dealerships@cleanairgm.com

Introduction of Be.EV charging network tariff and taxi membership scheme

From Friday 1 October Greater Manchester’s Be.EV electric vehicle charging point network will move from offering free charging to a tariff system, bringing it in line with other public EV charging networks in the UK.

Greater Manchester-licensed hackney and PHV drivers will soon be able to join a free membership scheme giving them a tariff discount when using one of 60 new taxi-only Be.EV rapid chargers being installed across the city-region.

At the launch of the membership scheme there will be one dedicated taxi rapid charger at Hardman Street in Spinningfields in Manchester city centre. This will be for the use of Manchester City Council-licensed hackney cabs only. The first dedicated rapid charger available to all Greater Manchester-licensed hackneys and PHVs is currently scheduled to go live early in 2022, with all 60 chargers due to be installed by early 2023.

We will send an email update when the membership scheme is open for applications.

For more information on the Be.EV tariff and taxi membership scheme, please visit be-ev.co.uk/taxi.

GM Clean Air Plan

Find out about what the GM Clean Air Plan means for your vehicle by visiting: https://cleanairgm.com/taxi-and-private-hire/ Here you can find out about the GM Clean Air Zone, whether your vehicle will be charged, how you can apply for funding (which won’t open until late November 2021) and the financial support available to replace or retrofit your vehicle. You can also check your vehicle at the bottom of the page.

Sign up to the newsletter to make sure you know when you can apply for funding. https://cleanairgm.com/#newsletter