TfL should urgently increase the number of taxi ranks at Night Tube stations in order to ensure passengers aren’t left ‘stranded’, Local Labour Assembly Member Joanne McCartney AM said. The comments come after new analysis revealed that just over half the stations on the Night Tube routes have taxi ranks.
According to data provided by TfL 59 of the 144 stations on the Night Tube network do not currently have a taxi rank within 250m of the station including Bounds Green, Highgate, Seven Sisters and Tottenham Hale stations in Haringey. Ms McCartney said this raised serious safety concerns, warning that passengers could be left struggling to complete their journey when the Night Tube is introduced later in the autumn.
The lack of taxi ranks is particularly acute in outer London where nearly half of Night Tube stations do not have taxi ranks. By contrast, 64% of inner London stations on the Night Tube include taxi ranks within 250m despite the area also being far more regularly served by night buses.
Earlier this year TfL announced it would provide 100 new taxi ranks by 2020, including new taxi ranks at 26 Night Tube stations, but Ms McCartney called for the Mayor to go much further to ensure that every Night Tube station has a taxi rank within 250m of the station entrance.
Local Labour London Assembly Member Joanne McCartney AM said:
“It’s great that TfL has committed to increasing taxi rank numbers but 2020 is far too late. The Mayor should have planned ahead and made sure that all 144 Night Tube stations have taxi ranks in place before the Night Tube starts.
“With the Night Tube start pushed back to autumn the Mayor has a chance to put his foot on the accelerator and get this sorted. The Night Tube will only get you so far, people need to know that when they get off the tube there will be a taxi there to help them finish their journey safely if they want it.
“This is particularly an issue for people in outer London areas where it can be quite a distance between the station and home. Whilst pre-booked minicabs are an option, most people would be much more comfortable jumping in a cab from the taxi rank than standing outside a secluded station at two or three in the morning waiting for a mini-cab to arrive.”
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Notes to editors
Notes
- Joanne McCartney AM is the London Assembly Member for Enfield and Haringey.
- A list of Night Tube stations, including which stations have taxi ranks, is available here.
- Data on which Night Tube stations have taxi ranks within 250m is taken from the London Assembly Transport Committee’s report, Future Proof – Taxi and Private Hire Services in London, December 2014. The necessary information can be found on page 30.
- The Mayor’s plans to increase the number of taxi ranks by 20% (an additional 100, based on the current 500 ranks) can be found here.
- At the London Assembly Transport Committee meeting in July 2015, Garrett Emmerson (Chief Operating Officer, Surface Transport, Transport for London) said,