The Mayor and TfL should ‘cut their losses’ on quashed Streetspace plans says taxi association

Regulators Transport for London (TfL) and the Mayor should perhaps ‘concentrate on rectifying their mistakes and cut their losses’ says taxi trade General Secretary following the recent Streetspace court ruling.

Steve McNamara, Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA) General Secretary, was analysing the result of the landmark High Court ruling quashing the Mayor’s Streetspace plans.

In his analysis provided to members and the wider trade he highlighted the ‘huge outpouring of support’ for the decision not only effecting taxi drivers, but also the wider London community.

In a lengthy and detailed judgement, Mrs Justice Lang underlined a series of failings by TfL and the Mayor, describing their decision-making process as “seriously flawed”, with the decision to exclude taxis from Streetspace Plans being based on “superficial” and “inadequate evidence”.

The Judge noted that denying taxis access to London’s roads could have “severe consequences” for passengers who cannot walk, cycle, or use public transport and that “the needs of people with protected characteristics, including the elderly or disabled”, were “not considered” before the Plan was announced or the Guidance published.

TfL sought permission to appeal the Judgement from Mrs Justice Lang, but were not granted permission to do so on the grounds that there was “no real prospect of success on appeal”, or “other compelling reason why the appeal should be heard”. The transport regulators are however continuing to explore ways of appealing the decision via the Court of Appeal.

McNamara said to his members: “The response to the Judgement has been fantastic, with a huge outpouring of support for the trade. The Mayor and TfL have faced widespread criticism from the media, mayoral candidates, the London Assembly, Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisations and charities and others, as a result of the Judge’s findings.

“Many people have also pointed out, as we have, that rather than pushing ahead trying to appeal the Judgement, at further cost to the tax payer (when TfL is supposedly bankrupt and unable to provide any much-needed financial support for taxi drivers), TfL and the Mayor should perhaps concentrate on rectifying their mistakes and cut their losses.”

“The usual suspects in the cycling lobby and other critics of our trade have been out trying to argue that the Judgement is wrong, but it’s hard to find fault with such a clear and damning summary of the Mayor and TfL’s failings and to argue that catering exclusively to cyclists is more important than the needs of our disabled and elderly passengers.”

McNamara added: “Overall, this Judgement has been a huge win for the taxi trade – one which reinforces our special status as a key part of the public transport network and gives us the ammunition we need to keep fighting for the trade and ensure that as life begins to return to normal after this lockdown, that London’s taxi trade has a bright future ahead of it.”