The Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA) and United Trade Action Group (UTAG) has taken the decision to challenge both the Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL) over its new Streetspace plans as more key roads are closed to motorists and licensed taxis.

Taxi Point reported that Steve McNamara, LTDA General Secretary, said yesterday: “The biggest single threat to our long-term future and financial wellbeing is anything that limits or restricts our ability to move around and take our customers where they want to go, by the shortest, quickest and most direct route.

“Throughout the current crisis we have tried every possible way to work with TfL, the Mayor and the various local authorities to ensure and protect our access."

McNamara added: “Unfortunately TfL have ignored all common sense, logic and argument and have excluded taxis from thoroughfare access to Bishopsgate. We will be able to access most parts of Bishopsgate, albeit via some very tortuous and convoluted routes, but a journey from say, London Bridge to Shoreditch, will necessitate a lengthy tour of Aldgate or the City, take much longer and make a taxi journey uneconomic for many.

“The only option now available to us is to challenge TfL, over our exclusion, in the High Court. This is a very expensive and complicated exercise, and despite all the trade groups being asked to contribute to this crucial challenge only the LTDA and UTAG will be funding the action.”

London’s licensed taxi drivers and fleet owners have invested nearly £200million into 3,500 zero-emission vehicles to clean up the capital’s poor air quality since 2018, as requested by the Mayor of London. It is feared that the ban will force disabled users and the general public to pay far higher metered fares and face increased journey times.

Source: Taxi Point