TAKING POSITIVE STEPS FORWARD: LTDA Chairman calls for unity and vigilance as taxi access remains vital goal
- Perry Richardson
- 9 hours ago
- 2 min read
Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA) Chairman Paul Brennan warned members of the serious impact that Westminster’s Regent Street and St James scheme could have if it goes ahead as planned.
Writing in TAXI magazine, Brennan explains that closing nine roads, even partially, will push traffic onto more than thirty surrounding streets and cause significant disruption for drivers and passengers alike.
Brennan confirms that the LTDA has already submitted a formal consultation response and urged members to do the same. “There is no doubt that if implemented in its current form, it will have a major impact on our working day,” he says. He adds that he worked alongside Karen Proctor of the United Cabbies Group (UCG) to produce a joint submission highlighting the risks. “No egos, no one-upmanship, no arguments, just joint teamwork based on our shared commitment to the trade,” Brennan said.
Despite the challenges, Brennan says he has noticed a more constructive tone in meetings with London borough officials compared with previous years. “For too many years I’ve spent my time apologising for what was perceived as online abuse from some within our trade toward borough officials, only to then be told it’s a big fat ‘no’ to any request. That was assuming they’d even agree to meet me in the first place. I am, as ever, cautiously optimistic,” he explains.
He contrasts this with earlier battles, such as the Shoreditch High Street restrictions, which he says were planned long before attitudes began to shift. The hope now, he argues, is that boroughs and Transport for London (TfL) will treat taxi concerns with more consideration. “What used to feel like one step forward and two steps back now seems more like two steps forward and one step back. Not perfect by any stretch, but certainly better than before,” Brennan observes.
The LTDA chairman also points to future developments, including TfL’s “25 for 25” initiative, which aims to deliver 25 kilometres of new bus lanes by the end of 2025. Importantly, taxis will be allowed access to these new or extended lanes, whether through longer operating hours, entirely new sections, or extensions to existing routes.
While critical of the ongoing threat of major road closures, including the long-mooted Oxford Street scheme, Brennan maintains that meaningful engagement is now possible. He said: “Among the negatives, there are positives, and the Regent Street scheme is still a long way from becoming a reality.”
