TfL Have Lost Control... Should They Be Replace As Regulatory Body....Plus, Taxi Leaks Poll Results

Taxify have now been allowed by TfL to transfer an operators Licence in the face of legislation laid down by parliamentary act.

They have also been allowed to ply for immediate hire using an app, under a name which also is against the PHV act 1998 and which has seen a number of TfLTPH notifications.

TfL have shown that they are toothless an as a consequence, technology disrupters will walk all over the Taxi and Private Hire industries.

If our regulators can't regulate, then they need to be replaced by an appointed body that can.

Transport for London London Taxi and Private Hire

Advertising - Private Hire Services

Despite repeated reminders and clear guidance and advice issued by Transport for London (TfL) we continue to receive a high level of complaints, information and evidence showing that some licensed London private hire operators continue to advertise their services using words ‘taxi’ or ‘cab’.

TfL will always take appropriate action against those licensed operators who commit such an offence but such activity is very time consuming, is not a cost effective use of our resources and has a direct adverse impact on the private hire licence fee.

Operators are therefore reminded that they are not permitted under any circumstances to use the terms ‘cab(s)’, ‘taxi(s)’ or any words closely resembling these terms in advertisements and that they must comply with section 31 of the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998.

Failure to do so can result in the revocation of your operator license and / or legal action.

I thank you for your co-operation with this matter. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or queries regarding the above.

John Mason

7 September 2010 Director, Taxi and Private Hire

For previous notices visit tfl.gov.uk/tph

Again we would like to inform all operators that the advertising of their services in this manner is clearly not permitted under the conditions set out in section 31 of the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998.

This section clearly states that no private hire advertising can use the words ‘taxi’, ‘taxis’, ‘cab’ or ‘cabs’, or words closely resembling any of those words, and that any person who contravenes this is guilty of an offence.

Result of Taxi Leaks Twitter Poll