HOT ON ENFORCEMENT: TfL carry out over 36,000 taxi and private hire vehicle checks in 2025 so far
- Perry Richardson
- Oct 15
- 2 min read
Transport for London (TfL) has revealed new figures showing that just under 5% of taxi and private hire vehicles checked between January and mid-September 2025 were found to require remedial action to continue operating.
The information, shared following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, covers the period from 1 January to 13 September 2025. During that time, TfL compliance officers carried out 36,382 vehicle inspections as part of enforcement stops and routine checks across the capital.
Of the vehicles inspected, 4.91% were deemed non-compliant and required remedial action to rectify issues before continuing to operate. The most frequently recorded faults included inoperable lights and bulbs, tyre wear below the legal limit, and vehicles operating without a valid MOT certificate.
TfL confirmed that while their compliance officers do not have the legal authority to remove vehicles from the road, they do take a firm stance when safety issues are discovered. Drivers and vehicle owners are notified of the outcome of the inspection, along with formal recommendations on how to address faults. In more serious cases, unfit notices are issued. In some instances, police partners are called upon to intervene where vehicles must be physically prohibited from continuing to operate.
In addition to the most common mechanical faults, a number of more serious compliance breaches were identified. These included 90 cases involving issues with Hire and Reward insurance, where either the driver or vehicle was found to be uninsured for commercial operation. A further 16 instances involved vehicles or drivers operating with expired licences.
Six vehicles were found to have bodywork in a condition that posed a potential risk to the driver, passengers, or members of the public. These included structural damage that could injure someone on contact or worsen in a collision. Separately, 70 vehicles were flagged as non-compliant due to outstanding safety recall notices issued by the DVSA that had not been addressed.
The latest figures provide an insight into the scale and variety of enforcement work taking place across London’s taxi and private hire sectors. They also reinforce the importance of regular vehicle maintenance and insurance compliance for professional drivers operating in the capital.
