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When was the last time you took a black cab? For the past decade the number of old school taxis in the capital has been dwindling thanks to the rise of ride-hailing apps, which massively undercut black cabs in price when they first came on the scene.
Now, in a bid to protect the future of London’s iconic taxis, changes will be made to the ‘Knowledge’ entrance test to make it less difficult to become a licensed taxi driver, as the number of black taxis in the capital has fallen to fewer than 15,000.
This is one of a series of 14 pledges in a new action plan from Transport for London that sets out how it will support the taxi and minicab industry over the next five years. In March the Centre for London think tank warned that black cabs in London could become extinct within 20 years if we continue to lose cabbies in the capital at the current rate.
London black cab fares will rise by an average of 7.5 percent this month, which has also raised concerns that even fewer people will use them, opting for cheaper Ubers and other apps instead.
To encourage more people to join the cabbie trade, the Knowledge – the famously hard exam that requires drivers to memorise thousands of roads and routes within a six-mile radius of Charing Cross, including key destinations such as hospitals, theatres and nightclubs – will be made easier. The current test can take up to three years to learn, but in the new plan drivers will be offered improved training, including online courses that include safety advice, conflict management and customer skills.
TfL now also publishes a list of 6,000 ‘points of interest’ that may come up in the Knowledge exam. London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan said: ‘examiners will only ever ask points that are on this list’.
However, some cab drivers aren’t over the moon with the TfL action plan. Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association general secretary Steve McNamara said: ‘It’s filled with platitudes about the importance of licensed taxis and recognises the serious challenges we face, yet it sets out no real plans to actually address those challenges.
‘Despite the problems the industry is facing being repeatedly reiterated to TfL and the Mayor, instead of actions, what we see are the same hollow promises to “work with us”, “consult”, “encourage” and “lobby” for things the government has already made up its mind on, with no concrete action to support hard-working taxi drivers.
‘It’s very clear to us that London’s licensed taxi drivers are in this alone and it’s being left down to us to ensure the longevity of London’s iconic black cabs and the vital service they provide.’
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