How does TfL and the London taxi industry communicate and who is part of the ‘Stakeholder Engagement Policy’?
- Perry Richardson
- 4 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Transport for London’s (TfL) approach to working with the capital’s licensed taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) sectors centres around a revised Taxi & Private Hire Stakeholder Engagement Policy, introduced in April 2022. The policy sets out how TfL engages with trade bodies, unions, operators and driver representatives in a structured and ongoing format.
The policy is an evolution of TfL’s earlier Taxi Engagement Policy from 2017. It builds on lessons from the COVID-19 period, where regular remote meetings proved effective for two-way communication. During that time, TfL held fortnightly forums with taxi and PHV representatives, as well as large PHV operators and booking platforms. The current engagement structure continues this dialogue in a more formalised and extended format.
The latest approach includes two main regular monthly forums. The Licensing and Regulatory Forum brings together representatives from the taxi and PHV sectors, including the LTDA, Unite, RMT, UCG, LCDC, GMB, LPHCA, and ADCU. These meetings cover licensing issues, regulatory changes and operational matters affecting drivers and operators alike.
The Technology Forum focuses on large PHV operators and taxi booking platforms such as Uber, Bolt, FreeNow, Addison Lee and Gett. These monthly meetings allow discussion around digital platform regulation, innovation in bookings, and emerging technology trends impacting customer and driver experience.
In addition to monthly meetings, TfL schedules strategic discussions on a six-monthly basis. These include two levels of meetings for both taxi and PHV sectors. One is with the Deputy Mayor for Transport and the Transport Commissioner to discuss high-level issues such as Vision Zero, air quality and the Healthy Streets initiative. The other is chaired by the Director of Licensing, Regulation and Charging, focusing on regulatory matters more directly affecting the industry.
TfL also publishes quarterly updates on licensing, compliance and enforcement statistics, inviting trade feedback through its stakeholder management team.
The engagement policy applies to formally established organisations only, which must represent at least five per cent of the licensed driver population to be part of the formal process. These groups must demonstrate organisational structure, often as a registered trade union or friendly society.
Additional ad hoc meetings can be requested to discuss commercially sensitive issues or items not suitable for wider forums. Specialist meetings and workshops also take place to address themes such as ULEZ compliance, driver health and wellbeing, and EV charging infrastructure. Annual forums like the Suburban Taxi Forum provide further touchpoints for more localised or niche concerns.
TfL chairs and administers most meetings and commits to providing summary notes and action points after each session. These notes serve to document the views raised and provide follow-up on matters discussed. No recordings are permitted.
