London Assembly disappointed in Government’s “big miss” choosing to dismiss plying-for-hire definiti

The capital’s London Assembly has reacted to the Government taxi licensing review by suggesting that anything that improves the safety of passengers has to be a good thing.

The government yesterday announced a consultation on plans to increase safety for taxi and minicab passengers and also released a response to the eagerly awaited DfT Review of taxi and private hire licensing.

The response was a mixed bag for the industry with cross-border issues open for discussion, however the long standing problem surrounding a statutory definition of plying for hire will remain.

Caroline Pidgeon MBE AM, Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee said: “Anything that improves the safety of passengers has to be a good thing. “We need to prevent the likes of John Worboys from being able to operate as a legitimate licensed driver again and stop the worrying numbers of sexual assaults in minicabs. “The big miss in the government response to the DfT Review is the statutory definition of plying for hire not being resolved. This has long been a major bone of contention and it appears to be too hard to resolve, so they aren’t going to try. “The good news is that Transport for London will be given legislative powers to regulate pedicabs. “The Transport Committee will publish its report into the taxi and private hire industry in March.”