4992_50 Taxi report
28/6/07
2:32 pm
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THE LONDON TAXI TRADE
– a report by London Chamber of Commerce
Press and Public Affairs
London Chamber of Commerce and Industry
June 2007
www.londonchamber.co.uk
London Chamber of Commerce and Industry has 10,000 business customers across the capital,
ranging in size from multi-national companies such as BT and Thames Water to sole traders.
Without exception, our policies are always informed by the experiences of our member companies. It
is only by putting London’s businesses first that the capital can maintain its outstanding record for
creating well-paid jobs, leading the world in service provision and being Europe’s favourite location for
foreign direct investment.
For further information or to discuss this report, please contact:
Dr Helen Hill, head of press and public affairs
London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 33 Queen Street, London EC4R 1AP
(T: 020 7203 1882 or E: [email protected])
This report was researched and compiled by:
James Ford, public affairs manager (T: 020 7203 1889 or E: [email protected])
James Heal, public affairs manager (T: 020 7203 1829 or E: [email protected])
Andrew Horne, press and public affairs executive (T: 020 7203 1911 or E:
[email protected])
Tristram Denton, public affairs researcher
Will Orr-Ewing, public affairs researcher
1
Index
Foreword
2
Executive Summary
3
1) The London Taxi Trade
6
2) Taxis and Business Travel
8
3) Taxis and the Late Night Economy
14
4) Recommendations
21
Appendix 1 – London Business Leaders’ Panel Survey Results
23
Appendix 2 – Taxi Driver Survey Results
26
Appendix 3 – Private Hire Operator Survey Results
30
References
31
1
Foreword
The London Taxi is renowned for its reliability, safety and iconic status. A symbol of London and an
integral part of an over-stretched but essential transport system, the London Taxi is also an important
element in the Mayor of London and Transport for London’s strategy to ensure Londoners travel
safely at night.
In an overcrowded capital set to expand still further, demand for transport provision will continue to
exert ever greater pressure on supply. Yet whilst the London Taxi remains at the heart of the capital’s
infrastructure, its iconic status is coming under threat. London taxi drivers are an ageing population
and our latest research outlined in this report reveals a worrying trend towards older drivers working
fewer hours, particularly during the evenings and reaching a peak at one of the capital’s busiest times,
Saturday night.
At the heart of the problem is the industry’s failure to attract sufficient new or younger entrants. The
report contains a number of recommendations as to how the situation might be improved, not least in
relation to the rigorous testing of drivers, the Knowledge. London residents, tourists and the business
community alike all rely on the currently unrivalled service which only the London Taxi can provide.
Yet with an ever burgeoning population, in the run-up to 2012 if the London Taxi is to retain its
position as the capital’s most flexible form of transport, the industry must confront its problems and
secure a successful future for all.
Colin Stanbridge
Chief Executive, London Chamber of Commerce and Industry
2
Executive Summary
•
The London Taxi is not just one of the capital’s most enduring icons – it is also the centre of
multi-million pound industry. An estimated 1.8 million Londoners travel in London taxicabs
each week, with a further 1.4 million carried by the capital’s private hire industry. More than
£12 million a year is spent insuring London’s fleet of over 23,000 taxis and a further £150
million a year is spent on diesel.
•
With an understanding of the significance of taxis to the capital’s economy, and an awareness
of the challenges the industry will face in the coming years due to the London 2012 Games
and London’s growing population, the London Chamber of Commerce (LCCI) felt 2007 was
an appropriate point to gauge the health of the London taxi trade.
•
In particular, the LCCI wanted to gain a business perspective on the performance of the
industry and to examine the supply of black cabs in support of London’s burgeoning late night
economy. To this end, the LCCI and pollsters CommunicateResearch surveyed the opinion
of company directors across all sectors of the London economy. This research was
reinforced with face-to-face interviews with 200 licensed London taxi drivers and a telephone
survey of 50 private hire operators.
•
An overwhelming 93 per cent of company directors believe that a good taxi network is
important or very important for the London economy.
•
While just seven per cent of business leaders use taxis to get to and from work, 40 per cent of
those surveyed said they use taxis for travelling to meetings during the day.
•
Some 96 per cent of company directors rated the availability of black cabs during normal
office hours as ‘good’ or ‘adequate’. Not a single respondent described availability during this
period as ‘very poor’.
•
During the same period of the day just 11 per cent of directors felt the number of black cabs
had fallen during the past five years.
•
It was a different picture after 5pm however. Almost a third of company directors described
taxi availability between 5 and 7pm as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’. The number of directors who said
there were fewer cabs on the streets after 7pm now compared with five years ago
outnumbered those who thought that the volume of taxis had increased. Some 59 per cent of
directors described the availability of taxis after midnight as either ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’.
•
These results were reinforced by the findings of the LCCI’s survey of taxi drivers, which
sought to find out how often drivers worked and when.
•
Fewer than one fifth of London’s taxi drivers work later than 9pm at least once per week. Just
six per cent of taxi drivers in the capital work past midnight once a week or more.
•
To compound this problem, the distribution of when drivers choose to work at night not only
varies across the week but these variations are inversely proportional to when Londoners
need taxis to facilitate late night economic activity. In fact, there are four times as many taxis
on the streets at 9pm on a Friday night than at the same time on Saturday night when night
time visitor activity peaks. This shortage is in spite of major structural fare increases for
working unsociable hours, instigated in 2001-2002.
3
•
Age has a major effect on how many hours taxi drivers work and when they choose to
complete these hours. While there are more licensed cab drivers aged over 70 than under
30, drivers under 30 work on average twice as many hours per week as those aged 70 and
over.
•
These differences are even more pronounced with regard to working at night. Drivers under
50 are twice as likely to work until 9pm at least once a week and ten times more likely to work
until midnight compared to drivers over 50.
•
The ageing population of taxi drivers suggest a shortage of new entrants into the industry.
•
The clear beneficiaries of this situation have been the private hire operators. Three-fifths of
operators in central London said that a lack of black cabs on the streets at night boosted their
business. Some 28 per cent of central London private hire firms said they had increased their
own driver numbers at night.
•
Based on this research, the LCCI is making the following policy recommendations:
o
Modernising the Knowledge. While the standard required to complete the Knowledge
should not be lowered or diluted, changes ought to be made to the method of assessment
and appointment - which currently create an unreasonably high barrier to entry - to enable
applicants to progress at their own pace. If successful, the fast track pilot (of 100 drivers)
in operation at the time of writing this report could be rolled out to help improve the
system. This should serve to make qualifying as a taxi driver more attractive, reduce the
currently high drop-out rate and boost the number of younger drivers entering the
industry.
o
Investment to attract new entrants into the industry. New drivers need to be attracted
into the industry and should be encouraged by the regulators and trade bodies, in
conjunction with the sector skills council GoSkills, through activities such as workshops
and roadshows.
o
Financial incentives for candidates undergoing Knowledge training. In the past
subsidies have been provided for candidates undergoing training. Such incentives could
be reinstated.
o
The Public Carriage Office (PCO) should urgently consider accrediting the
Knowledge by an appropriate qualifications and skills body. The examinations
should not be delivered by the regulator themselves rather outsourced to an
independent provider. As a regulatory body, the PCO ought to be maintaining a strict
regulatory control in standard setting, but should not need to be responsible for the
testing process as this could be seen as a conflict of interest. This would reflect a more
modern and up-to-date approach to providing the Knowledge of London qualification.
There are numerous academic and commercial bodies with the appropriate expertise.
o
The PCO to produce an annual Taxi Audit report. In addition to the current range of
statistics produced by the PCO on the Knowledge, licensed driver numbers and their
ages, the report would incorporate data on how often existing drivers work and a would
comprise serious examination of both the demand for, and supply of, taxis. The Taxi
Audit report would be undertaken by a credible independent organisation and should be
included for consideration as part of the PCO’s annual review of fares.
4
o
Serious consideration should be given to incentives or controls to increase the
number of drivers sharing a taxi. If a large percentage of taxis had two drivers, cabs
would almost certainly be employed on a night shift as well as during the day. This can
only be achieved either by significant fiscal incentives or by managing the ratio of taxi
driver licences issued to the number of taxi cab licences.
o
An increase in the number of marshalled taxi ranks in Central London at weekends,
supported by greater publicity. Details of where the ranks are located should be
included on the night bus network maps that can be found at every bus stop. This would
support the work already undertaken by TfL and the Mayor of London under the Safer
Travel at Night initiative.
5
1) The London Taxi Trade
“Taxis are an essential part of London’s transport network, filling the gaps between
other forms of public transport with a door-to-door service. Getting people home
safely late at night, reaching parts of London not well served by bus, train or tube,
and being the only part of the transport network fully accessible to wheelchair users
makes them invaluable.”
- Peter Hulme Cross AM
The licensed London taxi is among the most famous of the capital’s icons, instantly recognisable to
visitors alongside the Houses of Parliament, Beefeaters and red Routemaster buses. When
combined with the no–nonsense reputation of their drivers, London’s black taxis are certain to remain
an enduring image of the capital for years to come.
However, London’s taxi industry is not just iconic – it is also big business. To keep London’s 23,000
taxicabs on the road each year, cab operators spend £150 million on diesel and lubricants, £25 million
on spares and accessories, £10 million on tyres, £12 million on insurance and £5 million on batteries.
In turn, UK residents spend over £2 billion annually on taxis. Private hire vehicles, while not as iconic
as their black cab counterparts or subject to the same stringent licensing regime, are no less
important, with an industry estimated to be worth around £2.6 billion per annum nationwide. Along
with the millions of pounds spent on advertising in and on cabs, it is clear that taxis and the industries
they help generate vast sums of money for London’s and the UK economy.
Yet London’s taxis cannot be reduced to purely economic terms, as their true value lies in their ability
to move people around the capital quickly and efficiently at a moment’s notice. This service is not
only vital for London’s tourists who make 7.7 million taxi journeys every year, but also to people
enjoying London’s night life and businessmen and women attending meetings across the capital.
These distinct groups have very different reasons for using taxis but they share a common interest in
that they are unable to rely on public transport. Tourists for instance need taxis to help them move
around luggage, London’s clubbers cannot use the Underground system late at night, whilst
businesspeople often have to attend meetings at short notice in places not well served by public
transport. All these groups make a significant contribution to the London economy and therefore the
better they are served by the capital’s taxis the more London’s businesses will benefit as a result.
London’s taxis are also the only form of transport in London which are 100 per cent wheelchair
accessible.
Providing a world class taxi service in London is not easy though. Licensed private hire cars (formerly
known as mini cabs) carry 1.4 million people around the capital a week whilst London’s taxicabs carry
yet more still, transporting 1.8 million people. The capital’s black cabs are among the most expensive
in the world and the average fare in London costs more than double the fare of cab rides elsewhere in
the UK.
With the capital’s population growing rapidly, the transport network already straining near the limits of
capacity, and the 2012 Olympics just around the corner, the London Chamber felt that 2007 was an
appropriate point to assess the performance of the city’s taxi industry and ensure it was ready to meet
the challenges of the next few years.
In particular, the LCCI wanted to gain a business perspective on the performance of the industry and,
following concerns expressed by landlords and pub managers in a previous LCCI report published
last November, examine the supply of taxis in support of London’s burgeoning late night economy.
To this end, the LCCI and pollsters CommunicateResearch surveyed the opinion of company
6
directors across all sectors of the London economy. This research was reinforced with face-to-face
interviews with 200 licensed taxi drivers and a telephone survey of 50 private hire operators.
7
2) Taxis and Business Travel
In January 2007 the LCCI, partnered with CommunicateResearch, conducted a survey of 129
company directors based in and around London on the subject of London transport. The research
revealed the transport habits of company directors, business approaches to transport use for
employees and the views and opinions of business people on taxi use and the importance and
availability of the taxi network more generally.
Only seven per cent of business leaders travel on a daily basis to and from work in a taxi, although
interestingly this is a higher proportion than those who cycle to work (five per cent). The survey
results give a break-down of the use of different modes of transport as part of the daily commuting
routine for company directors and show that taxis only play a role for a small proportion of people in
this routine. However, a good taxi network is seen by business as vital to the economic health of the
capital with 93 per cent of business leaders valuing it as either important or very important to the
London economy, as evidenced by the fact that business leaders are more likely to use a taxi than a
bus as part of their weekly travel.
Business use of taxis
Business leaders were asked how many journeys they made each week on different forms of public
transport including taxis as any part of their business travel. The results showed that in contrast to
the daily commute, taxis play a part in the weekly travel plans for the majority of businesses. Some
56 per cent of company directors will use a taxi at least once during their week. This figure is higher
than the percentage of respondents who use the bus during the week (46 per cent) and only slightly
lower than the proportion who use the train at least once a week (61 per cent). In the survey, the
Underground was the mode of transport most likely to be used at least once a week, with seven out of
ten company directors using the tube on a weekly basis.
Fig 1. Modal comparison of weekly transport use
100%
90%
80%
70%
More than 10 journeys
6-10 journeys
4 to 5 journeys
1 to 3 journeys
No journeys
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Black Cab
Bus
Underground
8
Train
Figure one illustrates the fact that company directors may not use taxis to the same level of frequency
as the train or tube, but that the taxi network plays a crucial part in the travel plans for the majority of
business people on a regular basis. Some 43 per cent of respondents said that they make between
one and three journeys in a taxi during the week and a significant minority of 13 per cent will make
four or more journeys during the course of the week.
Business travel clearly consists of far more than people travelling to and from work. When asked to
comment on their business more generally, it becomes obvious that there is an extremely broad
modal use of transport. Two fifths of company directors stated that either they or their employees
would use a taxi for business travel during the day. This is clearly significantly more than for the daily
commute and highlights the regular usage of taxis on a daily basis for business purposes. The
distinction between commuter patterns of transport and daily travel whilst at work is clearly shown by
the survey results. Whilst travelling to and from work using their own car is significantly more
common than any other method of transport, driving during the course of the day is relegated to a
joint second in proportion with 58 per cent of company directors stating that they or their employees
use a car or travel by train.
Once at work, the most popular use of business transport is the tube with 74 per cent of respondents
highlighting this method of travel. With trains and cars being used by 58 per cent of employees, the
other modes of bus, walking and taxis are used by 47 per cent, 44 per cent and 40 per cent
respectively. Company directors and employees are least likely to use a bicycle to travel during the
working day with only one in ten company directors saying that cycling was used by their business.
With a modal distinction between commuter and more general business travel patterns it is also clear
that taxis form a significant part of the daily functioning of business and business travel.
Fig 2. Sector use of taxis
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Retail
Finance
Professions
Manufacturing
Other
The use of taxis for business purposes varies according to the business sector as can be seen in
figure 2. The retail and wholesale sector respondents to the LCCI survey make the greatest use of
taxis throughout the day with three fifths of company directors from this sector stating that their
9
company use taxis during the working day. Retail was followed by the financial and business services
sector where 47 per cent of company directors claim that taxis are used by their business.
The advantages of using taxis for business
The results of the survey show that taxis are used frequently by the majority of businesses and in
some sectors the usage is considerable. Some 76 per cent of company directors who define their
sector as the professions use taxis as part of their business at least once a week. This is closely
followed by the retail sector where 70 per cent of retail respondents use taxis at least once a week
and then finance and business services where 59 per cent use taxis on a weekly basis.
The business leaders surveyed were asked to identify the advantages of using London taxicabs for
business travel when compared with other modes of transport. The main advantage of taxis over
other forms of transport was overwhelmingly shown to be the door-to-door service of taxis which was
highlighted by 83 per cent of all those surveyed. The taxi network’s great strength is that it can take
over where other forms of transport stop. This interconnectivity with other modes of transport leads to
people describing the taxi network as the ‘glue’ that holds the main sections of the total transport
network together. Taxis connect airports and stations with the point of final destination. The
importance of taxi services to compliment air travel can be highlighted by considering the
development of Terminal 5 at Heathrow. In 1991, 5.8 million people travelled to and from Heathrow
by taxi but by 2016, when T5 is expected to be fully operational, the figures are expected to increase
to 11.9 million taxi users.1
After the door-to-door service, the main advantage identified by 59 per cent of survey respondents
was driver knowledge. A great strength of London taxicabs is that the driver will know the route
wherever they are hailed. Having a clearly identifiable, iconic, symbol such as the purpose built
London Taxi, there is a recognisable security for business people to be able to travel around such a
large and confusing capital as London with ease. The ease of travel in a taxi is supplemented by the
fact that 46 per cent of respondents (the third highest proportion) identified the comfort and relaxation
of travelling in a taxi as being a main advantage. As the London transport system becomes
increasingly clogged and under pressure from huge numbers of passengers, taxis are clearly seen by
some as welcome relief.
The full list of advantages highlighted by respondents can be seen in figure three. In fourth and fifth
place as advantages are the readily available supply of cabs and faster journey times according to 29
and 24 per cent of respondents respectively. It is clear that if taxis are to be useful for businesses,
then a readily available supply is vital. A reason for why this factor was not identified by more survey
respondents as an advantage of taxis is possibly the fact that many do not believe the supply of taxis
to be readily available. In fact, 27 per cent of respondents listed the shortage of cabs as a main
reason why they might avoid using a taxi for business travel, which suggests that London taxi drivers
are currently missing out on potential customers.
10
Fig 3. Advantages of using black cabs for business travel
Personalised transport
Luggage capacity
Safety
Faster journey times
Readily available supply of cabs
Comfortable and relaxing form of transport
Driver knowledge
Door-to-door service
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Whilst just under a quarter of respondents listed faster journey times as a main advantage of
travelling by taxi, some 39 per cent listed poor journey times as a reason why they might avoid using
a taxi. Taking both sets of statistics, it seems apparent that journey times and accessibility
(availability) of taxis are seen to be problematic and may be viewed more as an ideal than the norm.
However, the most significant prohibitive factor against using taxis was overwhelmingly the cost with
some 84 per cent of respondents saying cost would be the main reason why they might avoid using a
taxi. This suggests that raising taxi fares to encourage drivers to work longer or at different times
would be counter-productive.
The importance of a good taxi network
The survey results have shown that taxis fill the gaps in business travel. They may not form a
significant part of daily commuting but for regular and occasional business travel, they are a vital part
of London’s transport network. With major infrastructural projects such as Terminal 5 at Heathrow or
the development associated with the London 2012 Games in East London comes renewed and
increased demand for taxis. The overall importance of the taxi network to the smooth running of
London’s economy cannot be accurately gauged, but is likely to be enormous. A massive 93 per cent
of the business leaders surveyed rate a good taxi network as being important or very important to the
London economy. The view from business people could not be clearer. A good taxi network plays an
integral part in the economic health of the capital.
When asked how important a good taxi network is to their own business, the response was less
definitive. The results showed that overall 39 per cent of company directors rate the taxi network as
being important to their business but when broken down by sector, the results were more varied (see
figure 4). The importance of taxis to the retail industry was underlined by the fact that 63 per cent of
company directors from this sector stated that taxis were important or very important to their business.
The reliance that many customers in central London place on taxis whilst shopping is a potential
reason why taxis are so particularly important to the retail sector. It is also noticeable that there is
considerable correlation between the sector comparison of the use of taxis (Fig 2.) and the sector
11
comparison of the perceived importance of a good taxi network to their business. The only major
disparity when comparing these results comes from the transport sector where taxi use is negligible
but there is still reasonable recognition of the importance of a taxi network to their industry.
Management for train operators may not use taxis frequently, but they would recognise the
importance for their customers of being able to access taxis easily once they have reached their
destination at a train station.
Fig 4. Sector comparison of the importance of taxi network
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Retail
Finance
Manufacturing
Professions
Transport
Other
However, the importance of taxis for individual companies in the transport sector was not as
pronounced as for retailers (at 33 per cent) and it was even lower for ‘other services’ at 31 per cent.
For finance and business services, manufacturing and the professions, company directors rated a
good taxi network as important for their business in significant proportions: 45 per cent, 42 per cent
and 39 per cent respectively.
The survey revealed the particular importance of hackney carriages to London businesses over
private hire vehicles. Only 31 per cent of firms have an account with a taxi or private hire firm and
when using a taxi for business travel, 84 per cent of respondents prefer to flag one down in the street
rather than book one by phone in advance. Such a high proportion of businesses focussing on being
able to pick a taxi up in the street (which is only legal for hackney carriages) emphasises the
importance of taxis being highly accessible.
For businesses, accessibility is the key for a successful taxi network but businesses were clear that
they would not be willing to compromise simply to increase availability. A decisive 78 per cent of
businesses stated that they would not be willing to pay even slightly higher fares if it meant that there
were more taxis on the streets. As 84 per cent of respondents said that cost was a main factor for
avoiding travel in taxis, the business community is clear that higher fares would not be welcomed.
12
Availability of taxis in London
As the majority of business people prefer to flag a taxi down in the street, the availability of hackney
carriages in London is crucial if the sector is to remain such a vital part of the economy. During the
main working hours of the day (9am to 5pm) a conclusive 96 per cent of respondents rated the
number of London Taxis as either good or adequate. With only four per cent of business people
rating taxi availability during the central working hours of the day as ‘poor’, it is clear that supply is
meeting demand. However, an assessment of opinion of availability outside of these hours shows
that there seems to be far less balance between supply and demand.
Just under half of business leaders rated the availability of London Taxis early in the morning (from
7am to 9am) as being adequate whilst a significant minority (24 per cent) felt that at this time of day,
availability was either poor or very poor. Later in the day, the figures were even less positive. During
the crucial evening rush hours between 5pm and 7pm, 31 per cent of respondents rated taxi
availability as poor or very poor. Between the hours of 7pm and midnight 29 per cent thought
availability was poor or very poor which was a slight improvement on the earlier evening rush hours
but can be explained by the extra demand during those hours. It is clear that businesses feel that the
availability of taxis outside of usual working hours is not as good as it could be and late at night the
results are the most negative. A majority of business leaders (56 per cent) believe that the availability
of taxis after midnight is poor or very poor (this will be considered in greater detail later in the
document).
Business leaders were asked to compare the availability of taxis (broken down by time of day) with
five years ago and the results also showed a dichotomy between taxi availability during daytime
working hours and those that operate late at night. Between the hours of 9am and 5pm, 29 per cent
of respondents believed that availability has increased in the past years whilst only 11 per cent felt it
had decreased with the remaining 60 per cent perceiving no real change. These figures leave a
positive balance of plus 18 per cent who believe that the supply of taxis during usual working hours
has increased. Outside of this period, the figures were less definitive. From 7am to 9am, the positive
balance was plus nine per cent; between 5pm and 7pm the positive balance was only three per cent
and equally for the hours of 7pm to midnight the balance was plus three per cent. The lack of taxis
working late at night shall be analysed further.
13
3) Taxis and the Late Night Economy
Economic activity in London is not limited to the period between 9am and 5pm. With a population that
is younger and wealthier than the national average, spending on leisure – most of which takes place
in the evening or at night – is also a significant part of the London economy, creating jobs, attracting
visitors and enhancing the capital’s reputation as a 24-hour city. GLA Economics has estimated that
leisure adds £9.5 billion a year to the London economy. In 2002 Londoners spent an estimated £2.4
billion drinking in pubs or bars, £4.7 billion on dining out in restaurants, £900 million gambling in
casinos, and £450 million on visiting the theatre.2 London is the centre of the UK leisure industry,
accounting for 25 per cent of the national spend on leisure pursuits. Greater London is also the
leisure industry’s fastest growing region, delivering an impressive 30 per cent growth since 1995.3
The night-time economy is also a major lure for visitors. Every Saturday an estimated 500,000 people
come into London to go clubbing – more than the total number of people who visit all of the capital’s
‘top ten’ visitor attractions combined in a week.4
As part of detailed examination of London’s night time economy in late 2006 the LCCI conducted
interviews with 100 central London landlords and pub managers. This research revealed that
inadequate transport provision late at night was a major barrier to developing and growing the late
night economy. Despite the fact this survey was conducted twelve months after the reform of the
licensing laws to permit longer opening, 52 per cent of central London bars were still open for exactly
the same hours as they had been prior to the new laws. Many managers were concerned that if they
were open for their maximum permissible hours that there would not be enough customers to justify
the increased operational costs because getting home from central London became increasingly
difficult the later it was attempted.
A lack of public transport late at night also added directly to businesses’ costs. More than half of
central London landlords said that their staffing costs had risen during 2005/06, with many attributing
the rise to the cost of providing transport home for their staff. This was also identified as a problem by
other late night economy businesses, with nine out of ten restaurateurs and six out of ten takeaway
managers also reporting a rise in staff costs.5
As a result of this research, the LCCI also used the January London Business Leaders Panel survey
to gauge business opinion on the availability of taxis in the evening and at night. Some 59 per cent of
company directors described the availability of taxicabs after midnight as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’. A
quarter of directors thought that there were fewer taxis on the streets between 7pm and midnight and
a third said taxi numbers had decreased after midnight compared to five years ago while just 22 per
cent and 15 per cent of directors respectively thought that cab numbers had increased at these times
over the same period.
These findings are supported by research conducted by the City of London in May 2006. The
Corporation concluded that, while the availability of taxis in the Square Mile was good during the
working day there was a “severe dip” in the evenings and that availability after 11pm was
‘”unpredictable”. While Holborn was the busiest place in the City for taxis over all during the day (with
10,942 taxis recorded in 18 hours), it was the worst place to try and hail a taxi between 11pm and 1
am when just 18 cabs were recorded in two hours.6 This is a real problem not just in terms of supply
and demand but in encouraging the hundreds of illegal vehicles touting for business on the capital’s
streets. The explosion in illegal touting provides incalculable risks in personal safety terms both for
the ill-advised that use them and innocent road users who may fall victim to uninsured and unsafe
vehicles on the road. Illegal touting also places a strain on the city’s policing and enforcement
resources.
14
Why are there so few taxis at night?
Taxis play a vital part in the transport mix during the evening and at night. Research by TfL in 2003
found that taxis account for 11 per cent of people’s journeys home after 10pm, with minicabs or
private hire vehicles accounting for a further five per cent.7 Later, when the Underground and rail
services have ceased, this proportion increases significantly. To examine the issue of taxi availability
at night in more detail, the LCCI conducted 200 face-to-face interviews with taxicab drivers. These
interviews were conducted at a range of locations in central London and at varying times of the day
during March.
The LCCI’s research found that age has a major effect on how many hours taxi drivers work each
week. When asked about the hours worked during the previous week, those aged 50 and over
worked on average 72 per cent of the total weekly hours of drivers aged under 50. When assessing
their average weekly hours, 84 per cent of drivers under 50 worked over 36 hours per week compared
to 63 per cent of drivers over 50. The disparities were even greater at the extremes of the two age
groups, with drivers aged 29 and under working twice as many hours as drivers aged 70 and over
(See Fig. 5).
Fig 5 – Average total hours worked during the previous week
60
50
Hours
40
30
20
10
0
21-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
60-69
70+
Age Group
Age also determines when taxi drivers choose to complete these hours. Amongst drivers under 50,
the proportions who said they never work beyond 9pm and beyond midnight were 52 per cent and 70
per cent respectively but amongst drivers aged 50 and over the proportions who said they never
worked beyond these times rose to 76 per cent and 86 per cent respectively. In fact, drivers under 50
were twice as likely to work past 9pm at least once per week and ten times more likely to do at least
one shift ending after midnight compared with drivers aged 50 and over.
When these figures are projected across the London taxicab trade it is possible to calculate that
nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) of all licensed drivers will never work past 9pm and nearly four fifths
(78 per cent) will never work past midnight. Just under a fifth (19 per cent) of all drivers work later
than 9pm at least once a week and only six per cent will work beyond midnight at least once per week
(See fig 6).
The LCCI’s survey also found that, while late night economic activity is concentrated at weekends, not
only were taxi drivers less likely to work at night at weekends than during the week, they were also
much less likely to work on a Saturday (when late night economic activity in London is at its peak)
15
than on a Friday. For every driver still working at 9pm on a Saturday evening, there were four drivers
working at the same time the evening before. While estimated taxi numbers fell off more sharply on
Friday evenings, there were still half as many drivers out at 2am on Sunday morning compared to
2am on Saturday morning (See Fig 7).
Fig 6 – Proportions of taxi driver population working late shifts by age group
9000
8000
7000
6000
Total Number of Drivers
5000
Drivers working past 9pm
4000
Drivers working past 12am
3000
2000
1000
0
21-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
60-69
70+
As well as age, the face-to-face surveys found a number of other contributing factors which influenced
when drivers wanted to work. Clearly, working late at night at weekends is not an attractive prospect
for workers in any industry and taxi drivers are no different. Many cited family commitments.
Fig 7 – Estimated maximum working taxi driver numbers at weekends
5000
4500
4000
3500
3000
Friday Night/Saturday Morning
2500
Saturday Night/Sunday Morning
2000
1500
1000
500
0
9pm
10pm
11pm
12am
1am
2am
16
3am
Also, one of the great attractions of working in the licensed taxi trade is independence. Drivers are
free to determine when to work and for how long. Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) of those interviewed
owned their own taxicab while just 3 of the drivers interviewed (1.5 per cent) shared ownership of their
cab with another driver. However, the corollary of this is that there is no boss or manager insisting
that their drivers work at night or put in a minimum commitment.
Nonetheless serious consideration needs to be given to how best to encourage, incentivise or control
the number of drivers sharing a taxi. Encouragement towards shared ownership would require
financial incentives or more draconian controls could be introduced to control the ratio of driver
licences to vehicle numbers. This would provide a significant financial gain for the taxi owners and
would significantly increase the availability of taxis. The problem is not so much a shortage of
taxicabs but a shortage of taxi service hours.
The Knowledge
One of the major factors driving up the average age of London’s taxi drivers is the increase in time
required to undergo the training for, and testing of, the Knowledge - a series of rigorous, one-to-one,
topographical examinations which all drivers must go through in order to obtain a licence. Whilst the
Knowledge has an enviable world-wide reputation for rigour and significantly contributes to the
standing of the London taxi industry, it is worthwhile noting that there are a number of issues relating
to the methodology of its assessment.
Many critics within the taxi industry have attacked the length of time it takes to complete the
Knowledge. In 1970 Knowledge testing took an average of 11 months to complete. The figure is now
an average of 40 months. Whilst this total represents an improvement on the 2002 peak of 52
months, it still represents a drastic increase in completion time despite the fact that the overall content
of the course has changed little since 1960.8
The London Taxi Network (LTN), an association representing London’s Taxi radio circuits, has
suggested that it is the administration and testing of the Knowledge that needs reform rather than the
content or level of knowledge required. According to the LTN: “[The Knowledge] is too bureaucratic,
takes far too long and neither attracts the best candidates nor allows those who do apply to pass at
the speed of their ability.”9 The LTN has also criticised a lack of transparency in the testing system. A
report by the GLA Transport Committee in November 2005 highlighted figures showing that between
60 and 80 per cent of Knowledge students drop out of the course before completion. Many in the
industry have linked the length of time it takes to complete the course and the high drop-out rate with
the fact that London’s taxi driver population is ageing. According to the PCO, 98 per cent of London
taxi drivers are over 30 and the oldest licensed driver on the books is 92.10
As a result of the lengthy process, studying the Knowledge is a costly affair in terms of both time and
resource. Candidates must have alternative sources of income to support their studies. In the past,
incentives have been provided to support new entrants into the industry. This is particularly important
given the ageing driver profile and the necessity of attracting new and younger drivers into the
industry.
So how might the Knowledge be improved?
Testing of the Knowledge must be improved to reflect the needs of the industry in the 21st century.
The current system does not enable the most talented individuals to progress at speed nor does it
17
allow for flexibility in terms of times of exams, or ‘appearances’, which could take place in the evening
and at weekends. Modular testing would enable new entrants to progress at their own pace,
undertaking paid employment and studying simultaneously. Such reform, for example, might
encourage drivers currently working in the private hire industry to embark upon the path to become a
London cabbie.
The lack of anonymity in the current system could also be deterring entrants from minority groups.
Although there is no evidence of discrimination the LTN “does consider the lack of transparency in
testing procedures and the complete reliance on one-to-one testing as a possible barrier to entry for
minority groups”.11 A more modern, transparent system of ‘testing’ would help to reduce barriers to
entry.
Similarly, Knowledge examinations should not be delivered by the industry regulator itself. Rather
they should be outsourced to independent providers, who will use modern testing methodology.
There is an accumulation of anecdotal evidence that examiners (who are mainly taxi drivers
themselves) outspokenly believe that a “fast track” knowledge which allows a candidate to pass in
their own time is wrong, because it might mean that the candidate does not “do enough time.”
As a regulatory body, the PCO ought to be maintaining a strict regulatory control in standard setting,
but should not need to be responsible for the testing process as this may be seen as a conflict of
interest. The legislation is clear in that the regulatory body may not limit numbers of drivers in
London.
Contemporary modular examinations, possibly using computer technology and which would allow
candidates to progress at their own pace be it fast or slow, would reflect a more modern and up-todate approach to providing the Knowledge of London qualification. (There are numerous academic
and commercial bodies with the appropriate expertise to undertake this.)
Outside of the taxi trade, some have criticised the fact that the Knowledge only assesses drivers on
their topographical knowledge and does not include other skills such as customer service. The need
for greater emphasis on customer service skills is underlined by the PCO’s statistics on complaints
received from the public about taxi drivers in the five years between 2000 and 2004. During this
period the overall number of complaints rose from 902 a year to 1,309, a rise of 45 per cent. The rise
in the number of customer complaints regarding ‘driver misbehaviour’, which includes customer
service failures such as refusing to provide a receipt, from 355 incidents in 2000 to 795 in 2004 – an
increase of 124 per cent – is particularly alarming. While the percentage increase in complaints
regarding the condition of the taxi is staggering – up by more than four times over five years – the
actual number of complaints is still relatively low, equating to 1 cab in every 377 failing to meet with
customers’ expectations.
Complaints from the Public Received by the Public Carriage Office, 2000-04
Driver misbehaviour
Refusal to accept
hiring
Devious route
Overcharging
Lack of knowledge
Condition of Taxi
Total
2000
355
2001
587
2002
549
2003
695
2004
795
Change
+124%
378
349
250
237
282
-25%
79
61
15
14
902
79
93
31
16
1155
87
78
42
36
1042
68
57
31
56
1144
102
43
26
61
1309
+29%
-30%
+73%
+436%
+44%
Source: PCO, cited in GLA Transport Committee Report Where to Guv’?
18
The increase in complaints regarding the lack of knowledge of drivers (up 73 per cent) and ‘devious
routes’ (up 29 per cent) would suggest that even the current, rigorous Knowledge does not guarantee
customer satisfaction. However it could also be indicative of the difficulties currently faced by taxi
drivers including gridlocked traffic and restrictions on routes resulting from new and changed road
schemes.
Are higher fares the answer?
In 2001 the PCO created a new, higher late night fare tariff – known as Tariff 3 – now covers the
period from 10pm until 6am each day to encourage more drivers out at night. At its introduction,
average fares for journeys on Tariff 3 were roughly 30 per cent higher than Tariff 1 fares.
Whilst the PCO and TfL have not produced any official data on the impact of Tariff 3, the LCCI’s
survey of taxi drivers found that just 17 per cent of London Taxi drivers said its introduction had meant
that they now worked at night more often than before. The take-up rate, however, varied considerably
depending on the age of the taxi driver. Whilst 72 per cent of drivers under 50 said Tariff 3 had not
encouraged them to work nights more often, this figure rose to 91 per cent for drivers aged 50 and
over. (The table below shows what London Tariff 3 taxi fares would be like with a further 30 per cent
increase).
Current Tariff 3
average fares
2 miles
3 miles
5 miles
8 miles
10 miles
£8.20
£11.40
£17.80
£26.80
£32.80
Tariff 3 average fares
with a 30 per cent
increase
£10.66
£14.82
£23.14
£34.84
£42.64
Current average
fares in Paris after
10pm
£4.90
£6.90
£8.80
£12.40
£12.90
Source: Original figures from The Evening Standard. Projections based on LCCI calculation
12
However, while increased taxi numbers cannot be guaranteed, higher costs to business will definitely
result from higher fares. As mentioned above, 84 per cent of company directors surveyed by the
LCCI indicated that cost was the major factor which deterred them from using a cab for business
travel. According to the Evening Standard, cab fares have been increased eight times in the seven
years since Mayor Livingstone came to office.
Does private hire pick up the slack?
In addition to its surveys of company directors and taxi drivers, the LCCI also conducted research with
private hire operators to examine if the poor availability of taxis at night had resulted in booming
business for the private hire sector. In total the LCCI conducted detailed telephone interviews with 50
private hire operators, drawn equally from four central London boroughs (City of Westminster, City of
London, Camden, and Kensington and Chelsea) and four outer London boroughs (Greenwich, Ealing,
Richmond, and Waltham Forest).
The results varied considerably between central and outer London. In outer London, where private
hire vehicles have always traditionally outnumbered London Taxis, the majority of operators reported
19
that customers after 9pm accounted for a small proportion of their takings and said that a shortage of
taxis made little impact upon their business. However, in central London, where the London Cab has
always traditionally dominated, the picture was very different, with 44% of operators estimating that
business after 9pm accounted for more than half of their trade. Three-fifths of central London
operators said that a lack of taxis on the streets at night boosted their business.
20
4) Recommendations
London’s taxi trade provides a vital service supporting and enabling economic activity in the capital. A
burgeoning population, growing inward investment and tourism, and the London 2012 Games will all
place an increasing burden on the capital’s already over-stretched transport system. With a
worldwide reputation for the rigour of its entry standards, the London taxi industry could, and should,
play an essential role in meeting this increase in demand.
There is, however, clearly a problem with the supply of taxis late at night and especially at weekends.
It is at these times, when there are few alternatives and when safety is of paramount concern, that
taxis have a vital role to play. While the anti-social hours are no doubt a contributing factor, the
LCCI’s research has clearly demonstrated that the demographics of London’s licensed taxi trade play
a major role in determining how many hours drivers work and when they choose to work them.
Furthermore, an ageing taxi driver population is not only undermining the industry’s current ability to
serve the needs of Londoners at key times but also raises the spectre of a more serious and wideranging shortage of drivers and taxis in the future. Private hire operators in central London look set to
benefit from this trend and may gradually overtake licensed cabs. Elements of the taxi industry have
sometimes claimed that even higher fares are required to encourage drivers to work late at night and
at weekends. While businesses have made a clear and compelling case against this – not least as it
simply increases their costs whilst simultaneously reducing customer numbers – should it prove
necessary to re-examine the subject again in future, there are several issues that would need to be
addressed to secure business approval. For example, increases in individual tariffs should be
disambiguated so that putting up Tariff 3 (which applies after 10pm) does not also increase day fares
when a good supply of taxis already exists. The PCO may also wish to consider creating a separate
tariff for Saturday nights, when the supply problems are at their worst, so that more drivers can be
encouraged to work without making travel more expensive on week nights.
As a result of this research, the LCCI is making the following recommendations:
o
Modernising the Knowledge. While the standard required to complete the Knowledge
should not be lowered or diluted, changes ought to be made to the method of assessment
and appointment - which currently create an unreasonably high barrier to entry - to enable
applicants to progress at their own pace. If successful, the fast track pilot (of 100 drivers)
in operation at the time of writing this report could be rolled out to help improve the
system. This should serve to make qualifying as a taxi driver more attractive, reduce the
currently high drop-out rate and boost the number of younger drivers entering the
industry.
o
Investment to attract new entrants into the industry. New drivers need to be attracted
into the industry and should be encouraged by the regulators and trade bodies, in
conjunction with the sector skills council GoSkills, through activities such as workshops
and roadshows.
o
Financial incentives for candidates undergoing Knowledge training. In the past
subsidies have been provided for candidates undergoing training. Such incentives could
be reinstated.
o
The PCO should urgently consider accrediting the Knowledge by an appropriate
qualifications and skills body. The examinations should not be delivered by the
regulator themselves rather outsourced to an independent provider. As a regulatory
body, the PCO ought to be maintaining a strict regulatory control in standard setting, but
21
should not need to be responsible for the testing process as this could be seen as a
conflict of interest. This would reflect a more modern and up-to-date approach to
providing the Knowledge of London qualification. There are numerous academic and
commercial bodies with the appropriate expertise.
o
The PCO to produce an annual Taxi Audit report. In addition to the current range of
statistics produced by the PCO on the Knowledge, licensed driver numbers and their
ages, the report would incorporate data on how often existing drivers work and a would
comprise serious examination of both the demand for, and supply of, taxis. The Taxi
Audit report would be undertaken by a credible independent organisation and should be
included for consideration as part of the PCO’s annual review of fares.
o
Serious consideration should be given to incentives or controls to increase the
number of drivers sharing a taxi. If a large percentage of taxis had two drivers, cabs
would almost certainly be employed on a night shift as well as during the day. This can
only be achieved either by significant fiscal incentives or by managing the ratio of taxi
driver licences issued to the number of taxi cab licences.
o
An increase in the number of marshalled taxi ranks in Central London at weekends,
supported by greater publicity. Details of where the ranks are located should be
included on the night bus network maps that can be found at every bus stop. This would
support the work already undertaken by TfL and the Mayor of London under the Safer
Travel at Night initiative.
22
Appendix 1 – London Business Leaders’ Panel Survey Results
How important is a good taxi network?
For the London
economy
To your
business
Very important
Important
Fairly
unimportant
Not at all
important
59%
34%
5%
2%
21%
18%
40%
21%
How often per week do you use each of the following modes of transport?
6 – 10
No Journeys
1 - 3 Journeys 4 - 5 Journeys
Journeys
Black Cab
44%
43%
7%
4%
Bus
54%
31%
5%
9%
Underground
30%
37%
12%
9%
Train
39%
34%
10%
11%
More than 10
Journeys
2%
2%
12%
7%
Which of the following modes of transport do you use to get to and from work?
Bus
15%
Train
29%
Tube
26%
Taxi
7%
Bicycle
5%
Own car
62%
Walking
34%
Which of the following modes of transport do you or your employees use for travelling on
business during the day?
Bus
47%
Train
58%
Tube
74%
Taxi
40%
Bicycle
10%
Own car
58%
Walking
44%
23
In your opinion, which of the following are the main advantages of using black cabs for
business travel compared to other modes of transport?
Door-to-door service
83%
Driver knowledge
59%
Readily available supply of cabs
29%
Personalised transport
16%
Faster journey times
24%
Comfortable and relaxing form of transport
46%
Safety
21%
Luggage capacity
18%
In your opinion, which of the following are the main reasons why you may choose to avoid
using a black cab for business travel?
Cost
84%
Accessibility (eg. Availability of taxis)
27%
Lack of confidence in taxi drivers
2%
Poor journey time
39%
Previous experience of a poor service
4%
Concerns over safety
1%
When using a black cab for business travel do you prefer to:
Flag one down in the street
84%
Book one by phone in advance
16%
Does your company have an account with a taxi or a private hire firm?
Yes
31%
No
69%
How would you rate the number and availability of black cabs in London at the following
times of the day
Good
Adequate
Poor
Very poor
From 7am to
28%
49%
21%
3%
9am
Between 9am
46%
50%
4%
0%
and 5pm
Between 5pm
23%
46%
22%
9%
and 7pm
Between 7pm
18%
53%
22%
7%
and midnight
After midnight
5%
36%
33%
26%
24
Compared with 5 years ago, do you believe there are now more taxis on the streets at
the following times of day?
More than 5
Same as 5
Fewer than 5
Balance
years ago
years ago
years ago
From 7am to
25%
59%
16%
+9%
9am
Between 9am
29%
60%
11%
+18%
and 5pm
Between 5pm
24%
54%
21%
+3%
and 7pm
Between 7pm
22%
53%
25%
-3%
and midnight
After midnight
15%
52%
33%
-18%
Would any of the following encourage you to use London taxis more often
Would encourage me to use
Would not make any difference
them more often
If more taxis accepted
44%
56%
payment by credit or debit card
If taxis accepted payment by
38%
62%
Oyster card
Would you be willing to accept any of the following if it meant there were more taxis on the
streets?
Yes
No
Pay a slightly higher fare per
22%
78%
journey
A less stringent “Knowledge”
17%
83%
requirement for drivers
Notes
1. A total of 129 company directors responded to the January 2007 London Business Leaders’
Panel survey.
2. All sectors of the London economy were represented in the survey including: financial and
business services (25 per cent); professions (18 per cent); manufacturing (35 per cent);
retail/wholesale (nine per cent); transport (two per cent) and other services (ten per cent).
25
Appendix 2 – Taxi Driver Survey Results
What is your age?
Count
2
31
58
49
51
9
21-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
60-69
70 plus
%
1
15.5
29
24.5
25.5
4.5
How long have you had your hackney carriage licence?
By Age Group
Total
21-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
14
1
9
4
0
<3 yrs
23
1
6
15
1
3-6 yrs
23
0
5
5
8
6-9 yrs
21
0
4
11
4
9-12 yrs
19
0
5
8
2
12-15 yrs
100
0
2
15
34
>15yrs
200
2
31
58
49
Total
60-69
0
0
5
1
4
41
51
70+
0
0
0
1
0
8
9
60-69
31
2
18
0
51
70+
3
0
6
0
9
Do you…
a) own your own black cab?
b) Share ownership with another licensed driver?
c) Rent/hire your black cab from a taxi company?
d) Other (please specify)?
Total
a)
b)
c)
d)
Total
126
3
71
0
200
21-29
0
0
2
0
2
30-39
20
0
11
0
31
By Age Group
40-49
50-59
36
36
0
1
22
12
0
0
58
49
26
WORKING PATTERNS
Average working hours per day
21-29
9 ¾ hrs
9 ¾ hrs
9 ¾ hrs
9 ¾ hrs
9 ¾ hrs
5 ¼hrs
0
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
By Age Group
40-49
50-59
9 ½ hrs
8 ¾ hrs
9 ½ hrs
8 ¾ hrs
9 ½ hrs
8 ¾ hrs
9 ½ hrs
8 ¼ hrs
8 ¾ hrs
8 ½ hrs
1 ¾ hrs
1 ¾ hrs
¼ hr
¾ hr
30-39
8 ¾ hrs
9 hrs
9 hrs
9 ½ hrs
9 ¼ hrs
2 ¾ hrs
0
60-69
7 hrs
7 hrs
6 ¾hrs
6 ¼hrs
5 ½hrs
1 hr
0
70+
5 ½hrs
6 ½hrs
5 hrs
4 ¼hrs
3 ¼hrs
1 hr
0
Average total weekly hours last week
21-29
52.5
30-39
47.9
By Age Group
40-49
50-59
46.2
44.9
60-69
35.0
70+
25.9
How many in each age group are still working at each of the following times on a FRIDAY
evening?
By Age Group
Total
21-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
60-69
70+
34
1
8
13
5
7
0
9pm
33
1
8
13
4
7
0
10pm
22
1
7
9
1
4
0
11pm
14
1
6
5
0
2
0
12am
7
1
5
1
0
0
0
1am
2
0
2
0
0
0
0
2am
2
0
2
0
0
0
0
3am
How many in each age group are still working at each of the following times on a
SATURDAY evening?
By Age Group
Total
21-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
60-69
9
0
2
5
0
2
9pm
9
0
2
5
0
2
10pm
8
0
2
5
0
1
11pm
6
0
2
4
0
0
12am
3
0
2
1
0
0
1am
1
0
1
0
0
0
2am
1
0
1
0
0
0
3am
27
70+
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Approximately how many hours per week do you work on average?
By Age Group
Total
21-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
3
0
0
0
0
<8
18
0
1
2
3
8-24
30
0
6
5
5
24-36
138
2
24
50
38
36 plus
Total
189
2
31
57*
46*
* Not all respondents from these age groups provided answers
How often, on average, do you work until after 9pm?
By Age Group
Total
21-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
130
1
17
29
35
Never
< 1 per
18
0
3
6
6
month
1 per
12
0
3
5
2
fortnight
0
2
4
4
1 per week 13
2-4 times
11
1
2
5
1
per week
> 4 times
14
0
3
8
1
per week
How often, on average, do you work until after MIDNIGHT?
By Age Group
Total
21-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
158
1
22
41
41
Never
< 1 per
19
0
2
6
6
month
1 per
9
0
2
5
1
fortnight
0
1
2
1
1 per week 4
2-4 times
4
1
1
2
0
per week
> 4 times
3
0
2
1
0
per week
60-69
1
11
10
22
44*
70+
2
1
4
2
9
60-69
39
70+
9
3
0
2
0
3
0
2
0
2
0
60-69
44
70+
9
5
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Has the introduction of Tariff 3 meant that you now work at night more often than before?
By Age Group
Total
21-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
60-69
70+
34
1
8
16
4
5
0
Yes
163
1
23
42
43
45
9
No
28
Have you altered your hours of working since the extension of pub closing times?
By Age Group
Total
21-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
60-69
70+
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
Yes
196
2
31
57
47
50
9
No
How has business changed as a result?
2
0
21-29
0
0
30-39
0
0
By Age Group
40-49
50-59
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
197
2
31
57
47
49
9
Total
Improved
Worsened
No
Change
Not
applicable
60-69
1
0
70+
0
0
Notes
1. A total of 200 licensed cab drivers were interviewed by the LCCI during March 2007.
2. Interviews were conducted at cab ranks at a variety of Central London locations at various
times of the day.
29
Appendix 3 – Private Hire Operator Survey Results
How much of your company’s business takes place between 9pm and 7am?
Central London
Outer London
Less than 10 per cent
12%
8%
Between 10 and 25 per cent
16%
8%
Between 25 and 50 per cent
28%
60%
Between 50 and 75 per cent
24%
24%
More than 75 per cent
20%
0
Total
10%
12%
44%
24%
10%
Have the recent pub licensing changes been good for business?
Central London
Outer London
Business has improved
12%
8%
Business is the same
84%
88%
Business has worsened
4%
4%
Balance
+8%
+4%
Total
10%
86%
4%
+6%
Do you believe a lack of black cabs on the streets at night helps boost your business?
Central London
Outer London
Total
Yes
60%
8%
34%
No
40%
92%
66%
Notes
1. A total of 50 private hire operators were interviewed over the telephone by the LCCI during
April 2007.
2. The private hire operators were drawn equally from inner London (London Borough of
Camden, Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, City of Westminster and the City of
London) and outlying boroughs (Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and the London
Boroughs of Greenwich, Waltham Forest and Barnet) .
30
References
1
Cab Trade News, ‘Terminal 5: The Way Forward’, p 6, October/November 2005
GLA Economics, Spending Time: London’s Leisure Economy, November 2003
3
Think London, London: Centre for Leisure, Entertainment and Hospitality, January 2005
4
London Development Agency/Transport for London/ Government Office for London, Late-Night
London: Planning and Managing London’s Late Night Economy, June 2002
5
LCCI, London After Dark: Licensing and London’s Late Night Economy, November 2006
6
Corporation of London, Taxis in the City of London, May 2006
7
TfL, Research into Late Night Travel Aspirations, 2003
8
GLA Transport Committee, Where to Guv?, November 2005
9
GLA Transport Committee, Where to Guv?, November 2005
10
GLA Transport Committee, Where to Guv?, November 2005
11
London’s Taxi Network: Serving our City. Response to the London Assembly Transport Committee
investigation into the performance of the Public Carriage Office
12
‘Black cab fares go up for eighth time under Ken’, Evening Standard, 15 February 2007
2
31
4992_50 Taxi report
28/6/07
2:32 pm
Page 2
London Chamber of Commerce
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