The Mayor's Ambient Noise Strategy - Greater London Authority

88 Mayor of London
The Mayor’s Ambient Noise Strategy
Taxis and private hire vehicles
4A.62 The Mayor’s Transport Strategy recognises that licensed taxis (‘black
cabs’) and private hire vehicles (‘minicabs’) make an important
contribution to overall transport needs in London, especially providing
door to door services late at night. Some 21,500 licensed taxis operate in
London, mostly in Central London and around Heathrow Airport. Over
24,000 taxi drivers are licensed. They undertake about 85 million taxi trips
a year. In Greater London taxis account for some 2% of all kilometres
travelled by road vehicles. In Central London they account for 14% of
kilometres driven. Licensed taxis and their drivers are regulated for quality
by the Public Carriage Office, now part of Transport for London. The usual
maximum operating life of a taxi is 15 years. Over the last decade, the
average number of new licensed taxis entering the fleet is around 1,000
per year. As of July 2003, only 0.8% of the taxi fleet (165 taxis) were
over 15 years old.
4A.63 The recognisable rattle of older diesel-engined taxis has been one of the
distinctive sounds of London. Older diesel taxis can be noticeable in
quieter streets, particularly outside busy periods. However, newer taxis are
becoming quieter, and older taxis are being replaced. Gas engines are
often quieter than diesel. The Mayor’s Air Quality Strategy (Proposal 18)
seeks to ensure that taxis with older (and noisier) engines will be either
replaced by modern vehicles or modernised with quieter engines. It states
(Air Quality Strategy, paragraph 4D.39) that Transport for London will
work with the taxi trade to increase the number and improve the quality
of taxi ranks. Location and design need to take account of the need to
minimise local noise impact. Transport for London intends to implement a
taxi emissions reduction strategy, which, with changes in engine
technology used by taxi manufacturers, will help to reduce noise.
4A.64 It is estimated that there are between 35,000 and 40,000 minicab drivers
operating in London, mostly outside the centre, undertaking some 70
million trips a year. Private hire operator, driver and vehicle licensing is
being introduced, under the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998. The
sector has hitherto been unlicensed in London. Licensing is proceeding -
first operators, then drivers and vehicles. Whilst the primary concern is
safety, this should also reduce some of the local noise problems
associated with ‘touting’ around venues, alongside other public order and
safety issues. Licensing should also encourage better maintenance of
vehicles, with some benefit for noise.
4A.65 Transport for London seeks to build consensus on major issues facing both
taxis and minicabs. Account should be taken, as far as possible, of noise
from customers waiting and disembarking, as well as from vehicles. TfL also