Why TfL says it cannot track Penalty Charge Notices issued to private hire vehicles parked on taxi ranks
- Perry Richardson
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Transport for London (TfL) has confirmed it cannot say how many private hire vehicles have been issued penalty charge notices for parking on taxi ranks, citing the way enforcement data is recorded and the scale of work required to isolate such offences.
In a response to a freedom of information request, a TfL spokesperson said it does not record PCNs by specific location types such as taxi ranks. Instead, tickets issued on ranks are logged within broader on street enforcement categories, making it impossible to extract accurate figures without manually reviewing individual records.
TfL explained that producing a total would require identifying every taxi rank across the capital and then checking and compiling the PCNs issued at each location. The authority said this exercise would be disproportionately time consuming and is not supported by its current data systems.
The transport body added that it also cannot readily identify whether a PCN was issued to a licensed private hire vehicle. Doing so would require manual checks of each individual notice. TfL further noted that it does not hold information on vehicles licensed as private hire outside London, meaning it could not reliably confirm the licensing status of all vehicles even after such checks.
The lack of granular data has fuelled ongoing concerns within the taxi trade about the misuse of working taxi ranks by private hire vehicles. Taxi ranks are designated stopping places intended to ensure licensed taxis can provide immediate, walk up services, particularly in busy areas such as stations, hospitals and nightlife hubs.
When private hire vehicles, or any other vehicles, park on ranks, it can displace licensed taxis and disrupt operations, especially at peak times. Industry figures also warn that the presence of private hire vehicles on ranks can mislead members of the public, who may assume any licensed looking vehicle waiting at a rank is a taxi entitled to pick up without a prior booking.
This confusion raises passenger safety and compliance issues, particularly as private hire vehicles must be pre booked and are not permitted to ply-for-hire.
