Taxi organisations canvas London cabbies for their opinion on Heathrow expansion proposals
Four major London taxi driver groups have come together to launch an industry consultation researching the affects the proposed Heathrow extension will have on the taxi trade.
Taxi representives from Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA), London Cab Drivers Club (LCDC), United Cabbies Group (UCG) and Unite have asked black cab drivers for their views on questions surrounding the taxi industry and Heathrow Airport.
The consultation looks into the possibility of fixed or capped fares to and from the capital’s busiest airport and also the perceived affects of the Heathrow expansion.
Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) have proposed a number of taxi industry related changes should the expansion go ahead. This includes the introduction of a £20 Vehicle Access Charge to pick up and/or drop off passengers. Other proposals include plans to introduce a Centralised Booking System for Private Hire Operators in order to prioritise backfilled trips into minicabs dropping off passengers. Taxis are excluded.
HAL also announced a ‘one in, one out’ policy in June 2019 for new taxi drivers wanting to obtain access tags to the airport’s ranks.
TaxiPoint, the taxi industry’s biggest independent news and information source, is conducting the survey on behalf of the four industry organisations.
