I am working extremely hard to ensure that there is a sustainable future for London's iconic black cabs by investing to bring the trade into the 21st century and create a level playing field for both black cabs and minicabs in London.

In recent months, I have:

       Confirmed that an additional £600,000 is available for new and improved taxi ranks and increasing the number of taxi ranks by 20 per cent over the next five years.

       Secured an unprecedented level of investment in the taxi vehicle industry, including a £250m manufacturing plant in Coventry to build zero emission capable (ZEC) taxis.

       Confirmed only ZEC taxis will be licensed for the first time from 2018, with a £65m fund to help drivers remove the oldest from the fleet and to achieve 9,000 ZEC taxis by 2020.

       Launched plans to deliver a rapid charging network for taxis, private hire vehicles and other commercial fleets.

       Announced that from October next year, card payments will be mandatory in all black cabs, which will boost business for cabbies and mean quicker and more convenient journeys for customers. Our recent negotiations with the credit card industry will result in bringing down the cost for drivers of accepting card payments. This will reduce transaction fees paid by cabbies from up to ten percent to three per cent or less.

       Confirmed the doubling of the number of Taxi and Private Hire Compliance Officers to 82.

All of this action and more is being undertaken in order to preserve and boost the taxi trade.