TfL's taxi delicensing scheme removed over 4,000 older black cabs from London's streets

Transport for London's (TfL) taxi delicensing scheme, initiated in 2017, has effectively removed over 4,000 older, diesel black cabs from London's streets.

The initiative forms part of TfL's broader effort to combat air pollution in the city and promote a cleaner, more sustainable urban environment.

The scheme specifically targeted Euro 3, 4, or 5 taxis, offering financial incentives to taxi drivers who chose to delicence these older models. As a result, a significant number of fleet owners and individuals cashed in on their older cabs, causing thousands of cabs to quickly be taken off the roads.

According to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, among the vehicles scrapped under this scheme were 32 Euro 5 LTI TX4 model black cabs. The LTI TX4, a classic model in London's taxi fleet and one that is still plying its trade in the capital, would still have been deemed of value by some cabbies.

The delicensing scheme closed some time ago, but marks a significant milestone in TfL's efforts to reduce air pollution in London. By incentivising the removal of older, more polluting vehicles, TfL made strides towards a greener and more sustainable taxi fleet with over half the taxi fleet now zero-emissions capable.

However, the scheme arguably also had its drawbacks and critics too. Those issues centred around rising vehicle costs for both full and part-time cabbies and the lower number of available taxis licensed in the capital.