BLACK CABS: Lowering taxi standards would have ‘NEGATIVE EFFECTS’ says Mayor of London

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A lowering of black cab standards would have ‘negative effects’ on a service widely regarded as the best in its class.

Despite a resurgence in taxi users post-pandemic, taxi driver numbers continue to fall and costs to run a black cab have rocketed.

Some cabbies in the industry have called for reviews into the ‘condition of fitness’ drivers face around licensing. These range from removing mandatory vehicle features such as the tight turning circle to speeding up testing for applicants on the Knowledge of London.

Assembly Member Keith Prince asked the Mayor of London whether the current standards and regulations under which London’s taxi drivers operate are too high.

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said: “No. London’s taxis have a proud history and a global reputation as the best service of its kind. A lowering of standards would only have negative effects.”

A similar question from Assembly Member Prince was put to the Mayor, this time asking whether private hire vehicle (PHV) driver standards and regulations were too low?

Khan responded: “No. Transport for London (TfL) has introduced a raft of measures to improve safety and standards across the private hire vehicle (PHV) industry in recent years.

“In addition to the measures introduced in its review of private hire regulations in October 2016, TfL introduced a Safety, Equality and Regulatory Understanding (SERU) requirement and online safeguarding awareness course so that drivers are equipped with the knowledge and understanding of how to help identify and protect the most vulnerable members of our society.

“TfL will also shortly be launching a consultation focused on delivering the remaining Department for Transport Statutory Standards, which includes a number of proposals to further improve safety within the taxi and private hire industries.”