Mayor of London urged to ‘listen to the concerns of black cab drivers and passengers’ ahead of new term

Image credit: FREENOW

FREENOW has urged the Mayor of London to ‘actively listen to the concerns of black cab drivers and passengers’ ahead of his latest term in power.

Sadiq Khan has secured a third term as Mayor of London, presenting another opportunity to address pressing concerns in the city's iconic black cab industry which remain ongoing.

Mariusz Zabrocki, General Manager UK at FREENOW, articulated the key issues he thought required the Mayor's immediate attention to ensure the industry's long-term viability.

While the Mayor has committed to increasing the number of taxi ranks, FREENOW's research indicated that affordability remains a significant issue for cabbies. Seventy percent of drivers prioritised the affordability of black cabs, and 72 percent cited the high cost of vehicles as a financial burden.

Zabrocki urged Khan to address the affordability of fully-electric taxis in the upcoming Taxi and PHV Action Plan, to alleviate financial pressures on drivers and facilitate the transition to net zero.

He also emphasised the importance of listening to the concerns of black cab drivers and passengers, to ensure the service continues to thrive.

Zabrocki said: “On behalf of FREENOW, we’d like to congratulate Sadiq Khan for winning his third term as Mayor of London. We recognise that he values the capital’s black cab trade, commending drivers’ expertise and the high-quality service they provide every day. 

“While Mr Khan has pledged to provide more taxi ranks across London, our research revealed that 70% of cabbies believe that the affordability of black cabs should be a priority for London’s next Mayor, and 72% state the high cost of vehicles impacted them financially. Therefore we urge him to review the affordability of fully-electric taxis as part of the upcoming Taxi and PHV Action Plan to help alleviate the financial constraints drivers are under, helping to accelerate the trade on its journey to net zero. 

“We hope that Mr Khan actively listens to the concerns of black cab drivers and passengers to take positive action to ensure this iconic service thrives and can continue providing its outstanding service to Londoners and visitors.”