London taxi drivers ‘stuck in limbo’ over TfL meter tariff adjustments

Image credit: LEVC

London taxi drivers are ‘stuck in limbo’ over when or whether transport regulators in the capital will adjust fare meter tariffs to help with the ‘relentless rising costs’.

According to a Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA) Senior Rep, the move away from annual tariff reviews has added to the ‘uncertainty everyone feels at the moment’.

Historically, like all other public forms of transport, the tariff charged by cabbies in the capital has been reviewed and implemented annually. For many working in the industry the new tariff arrived in April.

The taximeter tariff is calculated using a ‘cost-index’ formula that takes into account inflation and the increasing or decreasing costs to run a black taxi in London.

Recently the taxi industry has complained about the continued late implementation of the taxi tariffs, which due to its delay has failed to keep up with annual inflation.

Sam Houston, LTDA Senior Rep, said: “In years gone by, tariff adjustments were regular as clockwork and meters were updated every year according to the cost index. This is no longer the case and hasn’t been for some time and the reasons behind this are still somewhat unclear.

“TfL have pointed out that there is no legal obligation for them to adjust the tariff in line with the cost index, or even to do so annually; what they have not done is provide any rationale or guidance as to what they would do instead. Therefore, cab drivers are stuck in a limbo of relentlessly rising costs without any idea whether or when the tariff will be adjusted in response. This is unacceptable.

“TfL would do well to provide clear guidance as to how they plan to deal with tariff adjustments in future; it’s not fair to add to the uncertainty everyone feels at the moment.”