This meeting took place on 2 September 2014. Read the transcript here.
Tensions between the taxi and private hire trades and Transport for London (TfL) are running very high.
In recent months, the London taxi trade has staged a number of demonstrations in the capital and the Licensed Private Hire Car Association (LPHCA) voted a motion of no confidence for TfL to continue as the regulator of the London cab industry.
Uber is just the latest issue on which the taxi trade feels TfL isn’t giving it fair representation. For once, the black cab trade and minicab firms have found an issue to agree on!
However, other problems persist - include the licensing of rickshaws, provision of taxi ranks and enforcement of existing regulations.
- Are passengers happy with the service they receive?
- Could London lose its gold standard status as the world’s best taxi service?
- Why does The Knowledge now take an average of 50 months to complete, when it took an average of 11 months in the 1970s?
- Does satnav technology make The Knowledge redundant?
- Can demand be met if existing driver entry requirements remain as they are?
- How can data collection improve services and safety for passengers in the future?
- Should payment methods like credit and debit cards be compulsory?
- Why does London have so few enforcement officers, compared to New York?
The London Assembly Transport Committee will tomorrow explore what the Mayor and TfL are doing to address the many issues currently facing the Taxi and Private Hire industry.
The following guests will be questioned:
- Isabel Dedring, Deputy Mayor for Transport, GLA
- Garrett Emmerson, Chief Operating Officer, Surface Transport, TfL
- Steve McNamara, General Secretary, Licensed Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA)
- Michael Galvin, Licensed Private Hire Car Association (LPHCA)
- Inspector Julian Collinson, Metropolitan Police Cab Enforcement Unit (CEU)
- Martin Low, Transport Commissioner, City of Westminster
- Jason White, Project Manager, Croydon Council
The meeting will take place on Tuesday, 2 September from 10am in Committee Room 5 at City Hall (The Queen’s Walk, London SE1).
Media and members of the public are invited to attend. The meeting can also be viewed via webcast.
Notes for Editors:
- Agenda Papers
- London Assembly Transport Committee
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
For media enquiries, please contact Alison Bell on 020 7983 4228. For out of hours media enquiries, call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the London Assembly duty press officer. Non-media enquiries should be directed to the Public Liaison Unit on 020 7983 4100.