Following yesterday’s announcement of the massive increase in London Private Hire licensing fees, the chauffeur industry has been reacting to TfL’s announcement.
The Transport for London Finance Committee approved a drastic increase in licensing fees for private hire operators on Friday 15 September. The new licensing fee rates have the ability to devastate the London private hire taxi trade according to trade bodies.
Under the proposals, businesses across London will be faced with an extortionate increase in the cost of a five-year private hire operator’s license. Operators with between 101-500 cars will see their licensing fees jump by over £147,000 – or 5,200 per cent. Meanwhile, operators with 501-1000 cars face an increase of over £347,000 – or 12,000 per cent.
The Licensed Private Hire Car Association has raised concerns that operators jobs are under threat, TfL has not published evidence to justify the increases and the fees are “disproportionate, random and irrational.”
Steve Wright MBE, Chairman of the LPHCA said: “I am shocked and disappointed by the extortionate increase in licensing fees. Many operators will be forced out of business and jobs will be lost if these fees are not reversed. TfL Taxi & Private Hire do not understand our industry and are hitting compliant operators that have worked hard to grow their businesses with massive and unjustified compliance costs.”
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