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London Assembly calls for robo-cab fleet caps and stronger TfL licensing powers as driverless rollout faces scrutiny
The London Assembly has called for major changes to the regulation of driverless cabs, including powers for Transport for London (TfL) to cap autonomous vehicle numbers and withdraw operating permits.
The recommendations appear in a 66-page Transport Committee report, Who’s driving the future of autonomous transport in London?.
The committee said it had not received sufficient evidence to support welcoming commercial autonomous passenger services onto London’s roads under the proposed arrangements. It recommended that TfL withhold consent where operators fail to meet appropriate safety and transport policy requirements.
The report contains 13 recommendations covering licensing, road safety, congestion, passenger safeguarding, accessibility, emergency services and the potential displacement of professional drivers.
Under the current framework, the national government controls the issuing of Automated Passenger Service permits through the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency. TfL must consent to permits covering London but does not hold the same licensing powers it exercises over conventional taxis and private hire vehicles.
The committee wants those powers devolved when the full regulations under the Automated Vehicles Act are introduced in 2027. That would allow TfL to issue and withdraw permits, impose operating conditions and establish limits on the number of autonomous passenger vehicles permitted in different parts of the capital.
It also recommends an interim mechanism allowing TfL to request the immediate suspension of an autonomous passenger service permit, pending a decision by the Transport Secretary.
Safety reporting forms another substantial element of the proposals. The committee wants operators required to report crashes and near misses within 24 hours, including information about the automated driving system’s decisions leading up to an incident.
TfL would also be expected to monitor the distance travelled by autonomous vehicles without passengers. The report recommends making empty vehicle mileage a core reporting requirement, alongside information about traffic levels and congestion.
The committee argues that negative effects on congestion should provide grounds for withdrawing permission to operate if TfL receives the additional regulatory powers.
Passenger safeguarding requirements would also be strengthened. The report recommends that remote assistance staff undergo Disclosure and Barring Service checks, receive safeguarding training and be based in the UK.
TfL is also urged to work with the Metropolitan Police, London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade to establish consistent procedures for dealing with autonomous vehicles during emergencies.
The report raises concerns about accessibility, noting that vehicles currently being tested are not wheelchair accessible. It recommends requiring evidence that proposed services have been developed with disabled passengers before TfL grants consent.
The potential consequences for London’s existing taxi and private hire workforce receive particular attention. According to figures cited in the report, approximately 16,000 taxi drivers and 105,000 private hire drivers are licensed in the capital.
The committee acknowledges that the initial introduction of autonomous vehicles is expected to be gradual. Evidence from operators suggested early deployments would involve relatively small fleets, with larger-scale expansion dependent on technology costs and commercial viability.
Nevertheless, the report concludes that autonomous passenger services are likely to displace some conventional taxi and private hire employment over the longer term.
It recommends that TfL work with drivers, trade representatives and autonomous vehicle operators to establish a transition plan covering potential job losses, retraining, redeployment and financial support.
The committee also recognises that autonomous vehicle operations could create employment in fleet maintenance and remote assistance, although those roles would not necessarily offer equivalent opportunities to existing drivers.
The committee’s position is that autonomous vehicle deployment should be assessed against the Mayor’s Transport Strategy rather than accepted primarily because the technology has become commercially available.
The recommendations are not binding. The report does not impose an immediate prohibition on robotaxis, and TfL has not announced a new cap or licensing regime as a result.
For taxi and private hire operators, the report introduces a significant new regulatory consideration. If ministers accept the recommendations, London’s autonomous passenger market could face locally determined fleet limits, additional safety reporting obligations and requirements to address the consequences for existing licensed drivers.
The next decisions rest with the government and TfL, particularly as the national regulatory framework develops towards its planned 2027 implementation.
Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee, Caroline Russell AM, said:“The London Assembly Transport Committee is not convinced that London should welcome autonomous passenger services.
“It is vital that TfL gets the power to issue Automated Passenger Service (APS) permits, given these services are so imminently expected on London’s roads. But autonomous passenger services are not the only option for driverless vehicle technology. Rather than just accepting the autonomous passenger service model proposed by operators, London should be looking at the transport problems it is trying to solve and then considering what solutions this technology could provide. We’d like to see more innovative thinking from TfL about the application of driverless technology in London, as currently, they are simply not in the driving seat.
“The impact of the introduction of automation on London’s roads is as yet unknown. TfL must ensure that if and/or how this technology is brought in, it is done in a way that works for Londoners and for our transport network.”
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