.jpg)
TfL challenged over shrinking London taxi fleet as black cab production winds down and new model timescales remains unclear
Legal Taxi has called for an urgent industry crisis meeting amid concerns that London could face a further contraction in its licensed taxi fleet as older vehicles retire and questions remain over TX5 parts supply and the arrival of its successor.
The legal firm, which provides services to licensed taxi drivers, said it sent an open letter on 11 September to 19 recipients, including Government officials, LEVC, Geely, Transport for London (TfL) and the Mayor of London.
Its open call follows a review of London EV Company Limited’s (LEVC) recently filed accounts for the year ending 31 December 2025. Legal Taxi said the accounts, when considered alongside reports from drivers struggling to obtain replacement components, raise questions over the ability to keep existing TX taxis operating reliably in the years ahead.
According to the letter, the accounts state that TX5 production requirements have been completed and operational activity during 2026 is limited to final-stage assembly. They also describe the TX5 as having reached the final stage of its product lifecycle. The TX6 is described as being in development, but Legal Taxi said the timing of its development, investment and introduction remains uncertain.
The firm said its immediate concern was not simply whether more new TX5 taxis could be supplied, but whether the existing fleet could remain operational. It said drivers were already reporting “substantial delays” obtaining some TX parts, potentially leaving self-employed drivers without their primary source of income while vehicles are off the road.
Legal Taxi has asked LEVC to provide specific commitments on how long it will maintain an adequate supply of replacement TX5 components after production ends. It also wants clarification on whether a final purchase of components has been completed and whether stock levels have been calculated against the ten-year aftersales demand period referred to in the accounts.
The letter also raises questions about warranty liabilities. Legal Taxi said TX vehicles include seven-year body and five-year high-voltage battery cover, while the currently disclosed period of parent-company support runs until 31 December 2027.
The firm stressed that it was not suggesting warranties would not be honoured. Instead, it wants clarification on what financial and group support arrangements will exist for liabilities extending beyond the currently disclosed support period, as well as assurance that the parts required to carry out warranty work will remain available.
Legal Taxi has also asked whether TfL has sought assurances from LEVC parent Geely Hong Kong that a minimum ten-year parts commitment would be honoured until 2036, including in circumstances where LEVC withdrew from the market or became insolvent.
For TfL, the issue extends beyond vehicle ownership and manufacturer support because every licensed London taxi must be wheelchair accessible.
Legal Taxi cited TfL figures showing 18,961 licensed taxis immediately before the pandemic in March 2020, compared with 14,750 in February 2024. It warned that the combination of mandatory vehicle retirements, constrained replacement supply and taxis being immobilised while awaiting components could potentially push available fleet numbers back towards levels experienced during the pandemic.
The potential loss of older diesel taxis is central to that concern. TfL’s current policy places a 12-year maximum operating age on Euro 3, Euro 4 and Euro 5 diesel taxis, compared with 15 years for zero-emission capable taxis. This means remaining Euro 5 vehicles will progressively reach the end of their licensing lives.
Legal Taxi is asking TfL what modelling it has undertaken for fleet numbers through 2027 and 2028 and whether it has assessed the impact of a further reduction on wheelchair-accessible transport.
It has also questioned whether an Equality Impact Assessment has been carried out, or is planned, covering the consequences for disabled passengers and other protected groups who rely on the accessibility and street-hail availability of London taxis.
The letter cites TfL’s 2023/24 survey as showing 11% of taxi drivers used their wheelchair ramp daily, with a further 32% reporting weekly use. Legal Taxi argues that any substantial reduction in taxi capacity could therefore have implications beyond the trade itself.
Another major question is what contingency TfL has if the TX6 is not available in sufficient numbers when older taxis are required to leave the fleet. Legal Taxi has asked whether regulatory measures could be considered to avoid a preventable reduction in wheelchair-accessible capacity if replacement vehicle supply fails to keep pace with retirements.
The firm concluded by calling on TfL to convene a crisis meeting involving LEVC, Geely and representatives from the taxi trade, including suppliers and driver groups.
Legal Taxi said: “With an ageing driver population, too few new entrants, a rapidly contracting fleet, existing parts shortages and no certainty as to when a new London taxi will be available to purchase, the trade faces a potentially existential threat.”
