CAPITAL NEWS
BLACK CAB SHORTAGE THREATENS LONDON HACKNEY CARRIAGE DRIVERS
London taxi drivers are facing a severe shortage of new black cabs as production cuts and strict environmental rules squeeze the trade. Drivers and fleet operators in London are currently enduring 9- month wait times for LEVC vehicles, which remains the only available manufacturer for purpose-built London taxis says The Telegraph. The manufacturing slowdown comes as TfL forces older diesel vehicles off the road under net zero targets, leaving cabbies scrambling to buy new electric models. With mainstream car makers such as Ford, Stellantis and Nissan choosing not to build London taxis due to financial viability, the trade is heavily reliant on LEVC, owned by Chinese giant Geely. Mick Walker, secretary of the
London Cab Drivers’ Club, said: “Everyone is starting to realise the trade is in serious trouble. There are drivers being put out of work now because they cannot get a vehicle.” While the secondhand market remains relatively healthy for individuals, fleet operators that rely exclusively on new vehicles are bearing the brunt of the shortfall. Colts Cabs, London’s largest fleet operator with over 1,000 cabs, was recently offered just 10 vehicles after attempting to order 30 in March. Steve McNamara, general secretary of the LTDA, said: “Fleets are really struggling to get hold of new vehicles. In recent weeks and months, there have been attempts to place orders for 200 cabs and people are being told they can only have 25 and not until February next
TAXPAYERS LEFT WITH £7M BILL AS TfL LICENSING DELAYS HIT DRIVERS
Sadiq Khan has faced fierce criticism from the Conservatives after TfL ran up a compensation bill exceeding £7m due to severe delays in issuing licences to taxi and PH drivers. Almost 18,000 drivers have received payouts of between £300- £500 under a Goodwill Payment Scheme, which was introduced to support those whose livelihoods were disrupted. The backlog stemmed from the introduction of new licence process- ing software combined with an earlier cyber security incident. TfL had previously faced threats of legal action over the “significant hardship” caused to PH drivers waiting months for renewals.
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Mid-June figures obtained through a FoI request revealed that 17,972 payments totalling £7,642,120 had been made, leaving London fare payers to foot the bill for drivers whose renewed licences were issued between Sep 2024 - Dec- 2025. Shadow Transport Secretary Rich- ard Holden said: “Labour’s Mayor of London once again proves his woeful administration is wasting Londoners millions of pounds and holding our capital back,” calling the situation “simply a disgrace.” In response, a TfL spokesperson apologised to the affected drivers and confirmed that extra staff were recruited alongside issuing short- term licences to ease the backlog.
year at the earliest.” LEVC defended its position, stating that it regularly adjusts manu- facturing output to meet expected market demand while preparing for the launch of a new model. A company spokesman insisted that operations continue as normal. However, industry figures show that the number of licensed taxi drivers in London has plunged from c. 20,400 in 2020 to 15,900. Cabbies argue that LEVC’s build-to- order policy fails to keep pace with replacement needs, creating a vicious cycle as prices soar. When the electric TX model launched in 2018, it cost under £55,000, but financing deals now push the total cost above £90,000. Under local air quality rules, black cabs must be retired after 12 years, meaning c. 1,300 cars will be taken off the streets in the next 11 months . At the same time, traditional recruitment has slumped: 3,400 people applied for the Knowledge test in 2000, but only 809 applied last year, with just 107 passing. Mr Walker blamed the decline on competition from ride-hailing apps, noting drivers can obtain a PH licence in weeks compared to the years required to master the Knowledge. Pointing out that only one black cab driver qualified recently compared to over600 PH drivers, he warned: “There’s no one coming into the trade, really.” A TfL spokesman said it continues to work closely with the taxi trade and vehicle manufacturers to ensure the capital maintains enough licensed vehicles to meet customer demand while upholding required environmental standards.
SEPTEMBER 2026 PHTM
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