Calls for fairness as TfL faces scrutiny over treatment of London’s black taxi drivers

A taxi representative has raised serious concerns about Transport for London’s (TfL) handling of licensing and enforcement, warning that the regulator is failing to meet the same standards it demands of the trade.

Anthony Street, LTDA Executive, argues that while London’s taxi drivers are held to some of the toughest professional rules in the world, the authority overseeing them often falls short in its own responsibilities.

To qualify as a black cab driver, applicants must complete the famously demanding Knowledge of London, be of good character, and have a clean criminal record. “In return, they rightly expect fair treatment from their regulator, Transport for London. Increasingly, that expectation is going unmet,” Street says.

One example he highlights is the case of a driver whose licence was suspended for three months. When the suspension ended, TfL failed to issue the renewed identifiers and badge on time. The driver was left unable to work for an extra four weeks, losing income despite having complied fully with every requirement. “Despite being fully entitled to resume work, he couldn’t, not because of anything he’d done wrong, but because TfL failed to issue the necessary documents,” Street explains.

Street argues that such delays are avoidable. He suggests TfL could confirm licence status by email or provide digital access to badge details, allowing drivers to return to work immediately. Instead, the licensing process, particularly through the LARA system, has become slower and more bureaucratic. He adds that drivers frequently report unanswered emails, ignored phone calls, and requests to resubmit documents already supplied, pointing to weaknesses in TfL’s record-keeping. “It is the driver, not TfL, who pays the price, through delays, stress and lost earnings,” he writes.

The LTDA executive draws comparisons with other professions to highlight how unreasonable the situation is. “Imagine a surgeon being cleared to return to work but told to wait another month because HR forgot to print their ID. Or a pilot grounded because their renewed licence sat unopened on someone’s desk. TfL must be held to the same standard it demands of drivers,” he argues.

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Street concludes by calling for change at TfL, urging the regulator to modernise, improve communication, and be held accountable.

Street said in full: ““London’s licensed taxi drivers are held to some of the highest professional standards anywhere in the world. To become a black cab driver, they must be of good character, with no criminal record, and must complete the Knowledge, a famously difficult test requiring years of study and intense dedication.

“In return, they rightly expect fair treatment from their regulator, Transport for London (TfL). Increasingly, that expectation is going unmet.

“Many in the trade feel that while taxi drivers are held to strict rules and procedures, TfL often fails to meet the same level of rigour in its own duties. Drivers are expected to submit every document on

time, follow every step to the letter, and pay all necessary fees. Yet TfL’s internal systems are regularly failing those who meet every requirement.

“Consider the case of a driver who had his licence suspended for three months. When that period ended, he was told his licence identifiers and badge would arrive on 16th June. That date passed. Despite being fully entitled to resume work, he couldn’t, not because of anything he’d done wrong, but because TfL failed to issue the necessary documents. It was nearly a month before they finally arrived. In that time, the driver lost another four weeks of income and was left unable to do the job he’s trained for, in a city that needs experienced cabbies more than ever.

“This situation was entirely avoidable. TfL could have confirmed the licence status by email or provided digital access to badge information to let the driver resume work immediately.

“Instead, the current licensing system, particularly the LARA platform, appears to be slowing processes down and adding layers of bureaucracy, rather than streamlining them. Drivers report that emails and phone calls to TfL often go unanswered. No updates, no guidance, just silence. Poor communication is a recurring issue. Many drivers have reported being asked to resubmit documents that were already provided.

“This points to serious internal record-keeping issues. Yet it is the driver, not TfL, who pays the price, through delays, stress, and lost earnings. Let’s be clear: London’s licensed taxi drivers do things by the book.

“They invest years training, spend thousands of hours mastering the capital’s streets, and are proud of their professionalism.

“They are not trying to cut corners. But when they do everything right and are still left without the means to earn a living, serious questions must be asked about TfL’s competence and priorities.

“This would not be tolerated in other professions. Imagine a surgeon being cleared to return to work but told to wait another month because HR forgot to print their ID. Or a pilot grounded because their renewed licence sat unopened on someone’s desk. TfL must be held to the same standard it demands of drivers.

Street added: “It’s time for TfL to modernise, communicate properly, and be held accountable. If drivers are required to act with professionalism and integrity, then the licensing authority must do the same.

“Fairness, efficiency, and respect are not optional, they are the bare minimum. London’s taxi drivers deserve better. This is not just about paperwork. It’s about trust and respect for the people who keep the city moving.”