KHAN: TfL ‘EXPECTS’ London PHV operators to act responsibly and take bookings previously accepted

Mayor of London image credit: Greater London Authority

The Mayor of London expects minicab operators to a ‘act responsibly and carry out booking they have previously accepted’, as concerns over the number of journeys cancelled is questioned within City Hall.

The comments come as driver cancellations and a lack of available vehicles have left some minicab customers frustrated. Since coronavirus pandemic restrictions were eased, a UK shortage of private hire drivers has intensified.

Demand for licensed taxis and on-demand services like Uber, is expected to peak again as workers return to the office space.

Thousands of drivers are thought to have left the private hire industry due to a lack of demand during the time of COVID restrictions and low-demand.

With demand now outweighing the supply of drivers at peak times, pre-booked journeys originally placed at a set price, have on occasions been cancelled. The customer is then hit with a higher ‘surged’ price when they try to find another driver to fulfil the journey much to their frustration.

London Assembly Member, Caroline Pidgeon, asked the Mayor of London what measures were being put in place by Transport for London (TfL) to stop app-based private hire companies surge charging customers whose bookings have been cancelled and then re-booked at higher cost.

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, responded to the written question saying: “Transport for London requires all private hire vehicle (PHV) operators to provide passengers with an accurate fare estimate before their journey starts. Unlike taxi fares, PHV fares are set by PHV operators and are not regulated by TfL.

“TfL expects London PHV operators to act responsibly and carry out bookings they have previously accepted.”

Currently TfL do not record reports made to the regulators from members of the public regarding minicabs cancelling operator accepted journeys.

Khan said: “Customers would, in most circumstances, make complaints about private hire services directly to the relevant private hire operator.

“Transport for London records customer complaint data about taxi and private hire services in defined categories, such as a report about the driver’s conduct; however, TfL does not currently separately record specific instances of a private hire driver cancelling a service or not fulfilling a booking that has been accepted by a private hire operator."