· There are now over 45,000 licensed vehicles on Transport for London's database, making it easier for the Transport operation Command Unit to crack down on touts and their criminal activities, and to monitor the standards of the minicab trade in the same way as that of the more established black cab trade.
· Safer Travel at Night is a partnership between the Mayor of London, Transport for London (TfL) and the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), who are working together with organisations across the capital to help make London safer at night by offering more safe travel options - key to this has been the licensing of the minicab industry.
· Safer travel at night aims to reduce the use of illegal cabs using traditional police activity and targeting touting hotspots, along with industry regulation, improved late night travel services, and increased public awareness about the risks of using illegal cabs.
· The TfL funded Transport Operational Command Unit in the MPS, has a dedicated London -wide Cab Enforcement Unit responsible for enforcing the law relating to taxis and private hire vehicles in London. The Cab Unit has 34 officers that focus their efforts towards anti-touting activities at key hotspots in and around London and developing enforcement expertise and tactics to ensure maximum impact.
Late night options include:
· Cabwise - a text service which can provide the numbers of local licensed minicab operators wherever you are in London.
· For more information on Cabwise including safer travel choices in London, visit: www.cabwise.com
· If you're out and about use our text service: just text HOME to 60835 (60tfl) to get the numbers of one taxi and two licensed minicabs operators, in the area you are texting from, sent directly to your phone. · Texting HOME to 60835 costs 35p plus standard network charges. The service is not available on 3 and Virgin networks.
FINDARIDE:
· Passengers can visit tfl.gov.uk/findaride to search for licensed minicab operators in any part of London and book a licensed minicab for later on in the evening.
· TfL's Travel Information Centre
· ·TfL's 24 hour travel information call centre can be phoned 24 hours a day on 020 7222 1234 and they can provide information and phone numbers for taxi and private hire services in London.
Marshalled Taxi Ranks
· ·Late night marshalled taxi ranks have been established in areas of London with busy late night economies. Marshalled Taxi ranks are situated in Bromley, Beckenham, Cranbourn Street, Kingston, Liverpool Street and Romford with marshalled minicab schemes operating in Croydon and Kingston.
In addition to nearly 25,000 black cab drivers in London, there are now more than:
· 2,100 licensed private hire operators (mini cab/ chauffer companies)
· Over 40,000 licensed private hire vehicles (cars operating within those companies - entire PHV fleet for London)
· Over 40,000, fully licensed private hire drivers (drivers of the private hire vehicles)
· People should always use a taxi or book a licensed private hire vehicle if they need a door-to-door service. They should never get into an unbooked vehicle on the street unless it is a licensed taxi (black taxi).
· All licensed private hire operators are required to keep a record of every booking and this record means that the driver and vehicle for each journey can be traced.
· The Transport Operational Command Unit, was set up in 2002 to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour on the bus network and illegal taxi touts along with other objectives around efficient movement of buses and congestion, has over 1200 staff including around 400 police, 450 traffic community support officers and 350 traffic wardens.
· There are now more than 100 night bus routes serving all four corners of London. Since 2005 every London bus has had CCTV installed and there are now around 60,000 on the fleet of 8,000 vehicles.
· Bus drivers also have instant access to the London buses control centre, 24-hours a day, though a radio in their cab, where TfL staff work alongside MPS colleagues.
· Bus related crime has gone down 11% in the first six months of 2007/8. Crime on the Underground has gone down 2% this year.
TOTAL CAB RELATED SEXUAL OFFENCES BY YEAR ALLEGEDLY COMMITTED
Year 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Total 175 120 119 106 101 84
Total January to November 157 112 107 91 90 84
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