REGIONAL TAXI LEAGUE TABLES: The mover and mostly shakers in taxi licensing
The number of licensed taxi vehicles across England has dropped by a staggering 9,500 in the first twelve months since the coronavirus pandemic began, according to the latest data.
The Department for Transport (DfT) has released annual statistics covering the taxi and private hire industry across England. Within the stats it shows a sharp decrease in the number of licensed cabs in the 12 months starting from 31 March 2020.
In March 2020 the number of licensed taxis stood at 67,800, but has now dropped by 14% to just 58,300 vehicles in the 12 month period.
59% of the 9,500 lost taxis were attributed to the capital, but how do other cities and regions fare?
Way out in front in terms of fleet reduction is London. Over 29% of black taxis have been lost over the pandemic. Second in the list is the West Midlands who have experienced an 11.5% decrease in its taxi fleet size over the last 12 months. They are closely followed by the South East, North East and South West regions all losing around 10% of their licensed taxis.
Having looked at the number of licensed taxi vehicles still available, it’s also worth looking at the number of taxi drivers licensed to drive them too.
The South East and North East saw the biggest fall in licensed taxi drivers, both by over 10%. In London the number of drivers licensed dropped by 7.2%, however it may take two further years to quantify the effects of the pandemic as taxi driver licences in the capital last three years on renewal.
One region bucked the trend by posting an INCREASE in licensed taxi drivers over the COVID period. Yorkshire and the Humber region increased its licensed taxi drivers by 8.7% over the last 12-month period.
The licensed taxi industry wasn’t the only sector hit hard. It was a similar decrease experienced in the private hire industry too.
In March 2020 298,600 Private Hire Vehicles (PHV) were licensed with local licensing authorities across England. Fast forward a year and that figure has spiralled by 47,500 to 251,100. That figure represents a drop of 16% across England.
Just 4,700 of the 251,100 PHVs are WAVs.
In June, the Chairman of LPHCA warned that a ‘catastrophic shortage of drivers’ risks the sustainability of the taxi and private hire industry. Steve Wright, Chairman of the Licensed Private Hire Car Association (LPHCA), warned of the potential problems last summer when he contacted the Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps.
Steve Wright said in the latest issue of Private Hire News: “Sadly, our prediction of the possibility of a catastrophic shortage of drivers is becoming a reality and the LPHCA will continue to make ministers aware of the difficulties.
“Last July we wrote to Rt. Hon. Grant Shapps MP Secretary of State for Transport to draw his attention to potential serious problems and the risks to the sustainability of the Taxi & Private Hire industry.”
