What do licensed taxi drivers want from future transport planning in London?
- Perry Richardson
- 12 hours ago
- 2 min read
Licensed taxi drivers in London know the capital’s roads inside and out, and would welcome greater involvement in transport planning—alongside policies that balance accessibility, resilience and sustainability. Their demands would likely centre on network access, engagement in design processes, and equitable treatment in road schemes.
Firstly, cabbies would love guaranteed access through active travel filters. Some current schemes ban taxis from former detour routes, forcing longer journeys or outright refusals via app requests. Where schemes like Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) now block access, they ask for exemptions for licensed vehicles, especially those carrying vulnerable passengers.
Secondly, taxi drivers demand inclusion in consultation processes. Since LTNs and road closures can directly affect taxi routes, their absence from many meaningful consultations has caused frustration. Inclusive planning panels—comprising taxi associations, disability advocates, bus drivers and walking groups—would ensure design decisions take multi‑modal needs into account.
Thirdly, taxi organisations—and the LTDA in particular—urge integrated mitigation strategies. These include retaining bus lanes, adding taxi lanes where buses are unaffected, and adjusting signal priorities to prioritise public transport.
Next, drivers would push for impact monitoring. Before implementing road changes, authorities must bench‑mark taxi journey times, access levels and incident rates. Post‑implementation analysis should measure delays and unintended harm, followed by rapid policy revision where necessary. A recent TfL report found that bus speeds were slower due to LTN proliferation; similar oversight should apply to taxis.
Finally, the sector seeks fair treatment in policy narrative. In many discussions, “active travel” seems to mean “cycling or walking only”. Taxi drivers affirm their role in carrying disabled, elderly or luggage‑laden passengers—people who cannot use bikes.
Several international cities have adopted such balanced approaches. In Berlin and Amsterdam, school streets and bike filters feature camera‑based exceptions for taxis, e‑vehicles and buses at designated times; signage clarifies access rules. London pilots could adopt such mechanisms.
London’s transport future must be multi‑modal. Active travel’s gains are real, but cannot come at the cost of exclusion. Taxi drivers want partnerships and engagement with authorities. They have practical knowledge of network weaknesses and route patterns. A more transparent, consultative system would allow them to contribute data on journey times, bottlenecks and passenger vulnerability.
By working alongside planners and having routes, signage and feedback embedded in future schemes, taxis can complement cycling and walking improvements—together forming an inclusive, resilient transport network. London’s role as a global city depends on mobility for all, not policy that leaves some stranded.
