“MILESTONE”: Black taxis to begin using Bank Junction again next week after long campaign
- Perry Richardson
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
London’s licensed black cabs will soon be allowed back through Bank Junction after years of being banned from the busy area.
From Monday 28 July 2025, taxis will be permitted to travel eastbound through the junction from Poultry to Cornhill, between 7am and 7pm, Monday to Friday. This marks the first stage of a phased reopening.
The move follows a long campaign by industry representatives to restore taxi access to the junction, which had previously been restricted as part of a wider traffic management scheme aimed at improving safety and reducing congestion.
While the reopening is seen as a milestone for the trade, the initial phase will be limited due to roadworks on Leadenhall Street, which is set to remain closed westbound until at least October. Once those works are complete, taxis will also be allowed to travel westbound through the junction, with a full monitoring period and a six-month public consultation due to begin once both directions are operational.
Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA) Chairman, Paul Brennan, described the decision as a “milestone” after years of taxis being wrongly grouped with general traffic and excluded from key areas of the City. He credited successful trials at Chancery Lane and the Cheapside bus gate with helping to prove that taxis can operate safely in restricted zones.
The LTDA are said to be pushing for wider access across London. Brennan also thanked Alderman Tim Hailes and Deputy Common Councilman James Thomson for supporting the taxi trade, and urged drivers to focus on the positive momentum rather than dwell on criticisms.
Brennan said in TAXI Newspaper:“Let’s be clear: this has been a long road. Frankly, too long. Bank Junction has been closed to most vehicles for years, with taxis wrongly lumped in as part of the problem. Th at decision made our jobs harder and travel less accessible for the people who rely on us, particularly those with disabilities, the elderly and anyone else trying to get around the Square Mile efficiently.
“Getting to this point hasn’t been easy. It’s taken years of pushing back against outright lies, baseless assumptions; years of showing the value we provide, and many years of proving, time and again, that taxis can operate safely and responsibly in areas where other traffic is restricted. A major part of that effort has been the successful trials I strongly pressed for at both Chancery Lane and the Cheapside bus gate. Both schemes have now been made permanent after their trials showed what we’ve said all along: that we are not the problem. We’re part of the solution.
Brennan added: “We’re not just getting back into Bank, we’re getting back on track.”
