London based train station and airport bookings up for ride-hailing firm Bolt

Image credit: Bolt

Taxi and private hire journeys to airports and train stations are expected to rise this week in the lead up to the Christmas period according to data shared by one of the capital’s biggest minicab operators.

As London is about to go into Tier 3, data from Bolt, the capital’s second biggest ride-hailing app who has roughly 50,000 registered drivers, revealed an increase in Londoners heading to airports and train terminals this weekend.

According to the private hire operator, journeys to the capital’s airports were up by 82% compared with data taken from this time last month. It was a similar story for those heading to train terminals where the number of journeys was up by 116% when compared to a month ago.

Since the pandemic forced local and national lockdowns in March, the taxi and private hire industry has struggled to find demand for its services.

Sam Raciti, Bolt’s UK General Manager, said: “It’s clear that Londoners are looking for alternative affordable ways of completing their journeys in the run up to Christmas. Bolt is doing everything possible to keep London safe when moving during this pandemic. For anyone looking for extra piece of mind, they can opt to order a ride from our Protect category, which provides a partition between drivers and passengers.”