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Late-night taxi shortage as cabbies stay at home
By David Williams Last updated at 10:40am on 16.07.07
Out in the cold: only six per cent of London taxi drivers say they work past midnight
London's status as a thriving 24-hour city is being threatened by a severe shortage of night-time taxis, a major report reveals today.
While there are enough cabs during the day, too few taxi drivers are willing to work at night, particularly on Saturdays.
The London Chamber of Commerce and Industry report, based on interviews with 200 cab drivers and 129 London company directors, says the supply of cabs is "inversely proportional" to when Londoners need them. This means that latenight revellers are increasingly forced to rely on minicab operators.
It says that between 5pm and 7pm black cab availability is "poor", while fewer than one fifth of London taxi drivers now work later than 9pm once a week. Only six per cent work past midnight.
The report concludes that the reluctance of taxi drivers to work when late-night social activity is at its peak is now a major barrier to developing London's growing late-night economy. It blames the problem on the fact that many drivers are getting older and too few young people are joining the fleet.
"Our research reveals a worrying trend towards older drivers working fewer hours, particularly during the evenings and reaching a peak at the capital's busiest time, Saturday night," the Chamber warns. Some 98 per cent of London taxi drivers are now aged over 30 - with the oldest driver on the books aged 92.
It adds that new recruits are being deterred by the "bureaucratic" and overdemanding nature of the legendary "Knowledge" exam, with up to 80 per cent of candidates dropping out.
The time needed to complete the test has soared from 11 months in 1970 to an average of 40 months now, making it increasingly difficult for candidates to juggle existing jobs with training.
The Chamber says the 2012 Olympics and major projects such as the new Terminal 5 at Heathrow make it crucial that aspects of the taxi trade are overhauled. Its recommendations for change include:
• More "fast-tracking" of trainee cab drivers, as well as roadshows and " financial incentives" to attract applicants.
• The Public Carriage Office, which runs the industry, should hand over Knowledge testing to an independent examination provider and produce a detailed annual audit on the trade.
• Incentives to encourage drivers to share taxis, making it less likely cabs would be parked up at night.
• More marshalled taxi ranks in central London at weekends.
Bob Oddy, General Secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, said he believed the report had been driven by Chamber members who had a "vested business interest" in benefiting from expanding the licensed taxi trade.
He said 2,500 new drivers had qualified in the past year, taking the number of black cab drivers in London to 25,000.
Mr Oddy pointed out that 96 per cent of survey respondents had said they were satisfied with the availability of cabs during the working day.
"The number of cabs working at night has considerably increased in recent years; there are currently 9,000 applicants on the Knowledge of London course," he said.
Reader views (9)
It's not the amount of taxis at certain times of the night, but the huge demand when the theatres turn out. There will never be enough taxis no matter how many are on the road, to cope with the amount of people that want taxis between 10pm and 11pm. I believe that this sweeping statement about a shortage of black cabs at night, will be used in the argument for letting mini-cabs ply for hire. If that does happen can anybody imagine the mess at somewhere like the Victoria taxi rank, when a hundred mini-cabs have to put in the address on thier GPS before knowing which way to exit the station.
- Phil Nash, Herts UK
Judging by the hordes of people in the West End at night, London really is a 24 hour city - whether you like this is a different matter...
- Dorothy, London, UK
The reason why Taxi Drivers dont work late is the amount of drunks. Who wants to take a drunk person who will swear, sometimes argue about the fare? That's why not everyone works at night, abuse is not pleasant.
Central London on a Saturday Night is full of drunk people.
As far as making the knowledge quicker, the knowledge enables the driver to take the shortest and quickest route, that's why people prefer a black cab.
There is a steady flow of new drivers, but remember we are professional.
- Noddy, Camden London
I am a London taxi driver and one of the six percent who work past midnight. I am not surprised at drivers not wanting to work past midnight when take for instance this Saturday the 14 of july at 4am, five people did a runner from me for a £25 fare. Who wants to work at that time for nothing?
- Ian Jones, Dartford Kent
This seems another like another nail in the coffin for the world famous black cab trade.
- Aitch, Bushey UK
To feather their nests, the taxi drivers association has an extraordinarily long recruitment process where only 1 in 5 succeed more than 3 years after starting. Driving a taxi is not brain surgery and Sat Nav means the Knowledge is largely obsolete. If they opened up the trade, punters wouldn't be stranded as they'd be plenty of new young recruits who'd be happy to work unsociable hours - these are the ones that the 'knowledge' filters out.
- Jowo, London
My uncle is a cabbie and he doesn't work on Saturday nights in town. He says that he got tired of the abuse, people throwing up over his cab, violence and intimidation. That is the real reason why cabbies aren't out - and I don't blame them as I don't go into London for exactly the same reason.
- Anon, London
The rise in violence and robberies do not help when the police are staying away from the roads. I seldom see police at night nowadays. It is a great situation for robbers as they get away with it. That is why for the taxi drivers it is not worth it. The same for the general public probably.
- Trixie, London
London is not a 24 hour town. It is just not fun anymore. Not with Ken Livingstone. It is just too expensive. Too many taxes etc.
- Billy, London
