TRADE TRENDS: London private hire driver and vehicle numbers boom over 15-year period, but what next?
- Perry Richardson
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
The number of private hire drivers and vehicles operating in London continues to rise, with data from Transport for London (TfL) showing consistent year-on-year growth following a brief pandemic dip.
As of the 2024/25 reporting year, there are 106,468 licensed private hire drivers in London—an increase of around 5,000 from the previous year. Vehicle numbers have also climbed to 97,154, marking a steady rise from the post-pandemic low of 77,726 recorded in 2020/21.
These latest TfL figures represent a return to growth after a period of stagnation between 2017 and 2022. The number of drivers peaked at 117,712 in 2016/17 before declining for several years. The current upward trend suggests a renewed demand for private hire services, although the rate of growth is less steep than the initial boom period seen between 2013 and 2017.
The surge in private hire activity in the mid-2010s can be linked to the expansion of app-based services like Uber, which disrupted the traditional minicab model. The arrival and aggressive growth of digital platforms, particularly from 2012, when Uber first arrived in the capital, led to a sharp rise in both driver and vehicle numbers. In 2014/15, there were 78,690 licensed drivers. Just two years later, this number had jumped to over 117,000.
Since then, the market has undergone a shift. Regulatory changes and a more saturated driver base appear to have slowed, but not stopped, the rate of increase. Despite this, vehicle numbers are now higher than ever, suggesting licensed drivers are being retained in the sector.
Looking ahead, if current growth continues, the private hire industry could reach around 115,000 drivers and 105,000 vehicles by 2029/30. However, there are now calls for tighter controls around cross-border and future caps in numbers.
Whether London has hit a saturation point remains up for debate. The figures show there is still room for modest growth, especially as public transport patterns continue to change and consumer demand for flexible travel options fluctuates.
