LTDA warns how just a THREE POINT driving offence could see TfL leaving a cabbie unemployed
The Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA) has warned London cabbies how just a THREE POINT driving offence could see them out of a job.
Anthony Street, an LTDA Executive, issued the stark warning to London's taxi drivers regarding the stringent licensing policy being applied by Transport for London (TfL). His message underscores the heightened risk that even minor road traffic offences now pose to their livelihoods.
Street emphasised that under the current TfL policy, even a minor offence leading to a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) and a mere three-point penalty could have severe repercussions for taxi drivers. While TfL has the authority to exercise discretion in individual cases, considering the driver’s history and specific circumstances, Street argues that this discretion is not being applied fairly or consistently, leading to some drivers unjustly losing their licences.
He highlighted the added pressure that this rigid enforcement places on drivers, who spend most of their working hours on the road. Street said: ”Taxi drivers are on the road for most of their working lives, which I know at times can be stressful, but TfL are not supporting drivers and instead they are adding to drivers’ stress, in a way which can have a profound effect on their mental health. At the LTDA, we take hundreds of calls from members worried sick whether TfL will suspend their licence because they were travelling at 24mph in a 20mph zone or have been caught using a mobile phone.
“TfL policy states that if you do not notify them at the time that your DVLA licence is endorsed with three points they can suspend your licence, and they probably will, but if you do tell TfL then it seems they are more likely to allow you to retain your licence. We have seen first hand that TfL is not being consistent in its decision making and on how and when it penalises drivers.”
The LTDA executive went on to express concerns about the fairness of the current process, especially in cases requiring reconsideration hearings. He advocated for these hearings to be led by an independent body rather than TfL employees, to ensure unbiased and just outcomes.
Street added: “Ultimately, we need common sense to be applied by those who make decisions on individual matters, especially when it involves something as serious as taking a driver’s livelihood away that will potentially have profound consequences on a family’s current financial status – their ability to pay a mortgage, pay for a cab etc., not to mention their mental health. These are serious matters, with serious consequences for drivers and enough is enough.
“In the meantime, my advice is that you notify TfL of any driving offences as and when they occur, and they will likely be more lenient. If you choose not to notify TfL, the consequences will likely be more significant. TfL will find out anyway eventually, as they get all this information from the DVLA code you provide them at the point when you renew your licence, so why would not you just notify TfL and cut out the middleman? This is a choice only you can make but my advice is tell them, be upfront and head off any problems.
“I recently dealt with a member on three different speeding offences (meaning he had nine penalty points). He chose to notify TfL, and he is still working. If he had failed to tell them about any of these, it could have been a different story.
“For serious offences like holding a mobile phone, dangerous driving, driving without due care and attention or reasonable consideration for other road users (any six point offence), the policy says a driver should face licence revocation, however this will need to go through the appeals procedure before a final licensing decision is made. Be careful out there.”
