CABBIES MISSING OUT: Taxi driver rep expresses frustration over ‘confusing’ TfL age limit rules

The Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA) has voiced concerns over the confusion surrounding taxi age limits, highlighting recent incidents where drivers have inadvertently missed out on the final year of their cab's lifespan due to incorrect dates.

Lloyd Baldwin, Executive SO at the LTDA, raised the issue after speaking with three cabbies who had mistakenly overlooked the last plate date of their vehicles. According to Baldwin, the drop in the age limit for taxis has been one of the most ‘disgraceful acts’ for the trade in recent times.

The confusion has been further compounded by Transport for London's (TfL) decision to extend cab licences by six months during the COVID-19 pandemic when test centres were closed. Baldwin points out that TfL has not provided any relief to the affected drivers.

The LTDA hopes that greater clarity, improved communication, and consideration for drivers will be exercised by TfL to avoid further confusion and frustration in the future.

Baldwin said in TAXI Newspaper: “I’ve written before about taxi age limits, but after speaking with three cabbies lately, who had all ended up getting their dates wrong and effectively missing out on the final year of their cab’s life, I feel the need to remind everybody what the rules are.

“Firstly, let me point out that of the many disgraceful acts that our trade has had to suffer in recent years, I personally believe the drop in the age limit is the worst. In all three of these cases, the cabbies had made an error with the first date of registration and had not tied that up to the last plate date.

“Such confusion has not been helped by TfL (Transport for London) extending cab licences by six months during Covid, when the test centres were closed. TfL has not offered the drivers in question any mitigation.

“They say that once the cab has passed its eleventh birthday, they are not going to let that cab be tested. They argue that there is an age limit calculator on the TfL website, which makes it clear when cabs will need to come off the road, but mistakes still happen. In one of these cases, TfL had allowed the cabbie to book an appointment and took his money, when the test date was four days past his cab’s eleventh birthday. He turned up at the required time only to be told they would not test the cab.

“I have written to TfL complaining about how this was allowed to happen, as surely all the cab’s info would have come up in front of them when they entered the registration number, so why didn’t they tell him not to book that date? This message is really a reminder for cabbies with 12,13 and 14 reg Euro 3, 4 and 5 cabs, as it will affect you all soon.“