London could lose its famous black cabs as hundreds of the iconic taxis and their drivers come off the road each year, because industry bosses claim production of new vehicles has been massively reduced. Hundreds of black cab drivers could lose their jobs because it has become so difficult to obtain a new vehicle after their current one reaches its 12-year expiry date and must be replaced under Transport for London (TfL) regulations.
MyLondon spoke with leading industry figures about their struggles to source new cabs, as they claim that, despite increased demand for new vehicles, the manufacturer, LEVC, is 'drip feeding' them to drivers and cab fleets. Both LEVC and TfL deny that there is a reduction in production of the famous cabs.
Fleet owners report severe delivery shortfalls
Currently, London's black cabs are licensed to stay on the road for 12 years, following a change to TfL regulations that reduced the vehicles' lifespan from 15 years. While this caused concern among the trade, there were hopes that, with new vehicles readily available, the trade would continue to operate as usual.
But a leading cab proprietor who owns one of London's largest fleets has told MyLondon that, despite ordering numerous vehicles in the last year, LEVC - the black cab producer - has not met their demands, effectively leaving cab drivers at risk of being out of work and that any denial of this by TfL or LEVC is just "lip service".
They explained that over the past year, they had asked LEVC for dozens of vehicles, and only a fraction of what was requested could be delivered, which started to "ring alarm bells". "There's been no communication at all for the last six months as to what they're doing, or why they were only putting out one, two, three, four [cabs] a week," they added.
Drivers face redundancy as parts and vehicles run short
The difficulty in getting new vehicles to replace outgoing ones means fleet owners are having to reevaluate which drivers they rent the vehicles to, and that some are losing their jobs. This has led the fleet owner to reevaluate whom they take on as renters, as vehicles are becoming increasingly scarce, and he claims he is having to turn down drivers for lack of vehicles. In addition to this, a lack of parts has put the fleet's existing vehicles at risk, as some parts have been out of stock for more than a year.
Danny Sullivan, 59, a cab driver for three decades, currently drives a cab whose shelf life will expire in May 2027, and despite attempting to order a new one, he has been told he will have to wait for a new vehicle, but with the uncertainty and seven years until retirement, a breakdown or a collision could be the end of his career. He said: "With what's going on, the LEVC factory has all its lights out, TfL won't tell us anything, LEVC are saying they will produce something, but we don't know when. In the meantime, we have 1500 vehicles coming off the road each year, where are these drivers going to get vehicles from, me being one of them?"
"Are TfL making me redundant? I've contacted TfL and LEVC themselves, and TfL seems to be their own bosses; they are just saying there isn't a problem. The garages are scaring me; they say they can't get parts. That's the worst thing, people are waiting two or three months for parts, and their cabs are unavailable. In the meantime, since lockdown, we have lost 10,000 cabs, and private hire has doubled," he added.
New vehicle proposals blocked by TfL regulations
Peter Facenna, Managing Director of Allied Vehicles, has been trying to introduce a new vehicle, the Ford Maxicab, to London cab drivers, yet he claims that due to an old regulation regarding vehicle turning circles, TfL has refused or ignored attempts to license the vehicle for trade use in London. Danny, the cab proprietor, and Grant Davies from the London Cab Drivers' Club have issued appeals to TfL to alleviate the crisis caused by a shortage of vehicles and parts. They say that the new vehicle, despite its limited turning circle, would help ease the crisis in the capital, as every other city in the UK (aside from Reading) has licensed it.
Peter pointed out that LEVC's newly released accounts indicate that production has stopped or slowed because its latest model, the TX5, doesn't meet regulatory standards set to take effect on September 1, and that the cabs will no longer be produced after this date. Adding to this, Grant Davies, chairman of the London Cab Drivers Club and a cab driver of 32 years, said: "The cab trade is facing a major hurdle in our history and yet our regulators (TfL) and my fellow trade organisations seem to think that by doing nothing it will, in time, resolve itself. I have members calling me and asking me where they can get a cab to rent and go to work. TFL policies are making self-employed drivers unemployed."
LEVC and TfL respond to claims
In response to the claims put forward by the trade, a LEVC spokesperson said: "LEVC regularly adjusts manufacturing output to meet expected market demand. In line with our 2026 manufacturing programme, LEVC has adjusted factory output in order to prepare for the next generation of black cab."
"In the meantime, TX assembly continues at Ansty and new vehicle deliveries, used sales, and aftersales operations continue as normal. LEVC remains fully committed to the taxi trade in London and will continue to produce purpose-built, fully accessible mobility solutions that meet the long-standing regulatory criteria set out by TfL, which includes the turning circle requirement. LEVC's next-generation product is in active development, and we look forward to sharing more news on this soon," the spokesperson added.
A TfL spokesperson said: "London's taxis play a vital role in keeping the capital moving and we continue to work closely with the taxi trade and vehicle manufacturers. It's important that London continues to have enough licensed taxis to meet customer demand and that drivers can access vehicles that meet the standards required to operate in the capital. If there was an issue with the supply of vehicles, we would take action. Any taxi driver who needs a zero-emission capable taxi can access one. We'll continue to engage closely with LEVC and representatives of the taxi trade, while monitoring the situation closely."
