London taxi driver numbers fall further despite rise in new applicants, TfL data reveals
- Perry Richardson
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
The number of licensed London taxi drivers has continued to fall over the past 12 months, despite signs of increased interest from new applicants entering the trade.
According to data from Transport for London, there are 15,978 licensed taxi drivers in the capital as of April 2026, representing a continued downward trend compared with the previous year’s already reduced levels. Weekly figures show a further drop of 26 drivers, with just one new licence issued in the latest reporting period. Of the total, 14,468 drivers hold All London licences while 1,534 are licensed for Suburban operation.
The long-term trajectory highlights a sustained contraction in driver numbers. In 2009/10, there were 24,914 licensed taxi drivers across London. That figure has now fallen to 16,676 in 2024/25, marking a decline of more than 8,000 drivers over 15 years. The most significant drops occurred during and after the pandemic period, with totals falling sharply from 22,337 in 2019/20 to 20,786 in 2020/21, before continuing a steady decline in subsequent years.
Vehicle numbers have shown marginal short-term growth, with 13,732 licensed taxis now operating, up by 19 in the latest weekly figures. However, this remains well below historical levels, with over 22,000 vehicles licensed in the early 2010s. The divergence between vehicle licensing and driver numbers suggests some stabilisation in fleet investment, but without a corresponding recovery in workforce capacity.
Latest figures show continued decline in licensed cabbies one year after 2025 snapshot, with industry recovery slowed by lengthy training pipeline
Cabbies point towards a key structural issue behind the slow recovery. The process of becoming a licensed London taxi driver, known as the Knowledge of London, typically takes upwards of two years to complete. While application levels have reportedly increased over the past year, the time required to qualify means that any influx of new drivers will not translate into immediate workforce growth.
This lag effect continues to present short-term operational challenges for the sector, particularly as demand patterns shift and driver availability remains constrained. Reduced driver numbers can impact passenger wait times, service coverage and overall network resilience, especially during peak periods or in outer boroughs.
The figures also reinforce concerns about long-term sustainability within the trade. While rising applicant numbers may signal renewed interest, the continued net decline in licensed drivers indicates that retirements and exits are still outpacing new entrants. Without sustained growth in completions of the Knowledge, the recovery in driver numbers is expected to remain gradual.
The latest data underlines the importance of monitoring both entry rates and qualification timelines. Any meaningful reversal in the downward trend is likely to depend not only on attracting new applicants but also on supporting them through to qualification in a timely manner and retaining the existing licensed taxi drivers for longer.
