We have heard from many businesses in the City how much of a problem it is getting a Black Cab. It impacts important meetings, it is hurting hospitality and leisure. Restaurant and hotel trade is being affected.
We want to hear from: senior business representatives representing your company or business and from business passengers or those visiting businesses, hotel and restaurants. What is your experience?
Here is a selection of what businesses and business people are telling us:
- The situation within the City of London re access for Black cabs is beyond a joke. Trying to get a cab to take you or pick up from the area is very hit and miss. The situation as it stands does nothing to improve the area, it makes the surrounding areas, particularly near Bank junction more of a bottle neck. What on earth guests going to and departing the Mansion House think when there are events going on god only knows. (Steve G)
- Can I add the support of Mayer Brown to your campaign for better cab access . We have over 500 people at our office at 201 Bishopsgate and operate 24/7/365. For reasons of personal safety amongst others we need a cab drop off outside our office both early morning and late at night. In addition, though, the essence of our business is serving clients who visit our office on a daily basis in normal business hours and so we need a safe drop off by our office as a matter of business importance. (Head of Facilities)
- Like the other City of London Livery Companies, exist these days mainly to raise money for good causes by putting on social events and dinners for our members. As a collective we raise over £70 million pounds annually. We rely on our members being able to easily access these events, almost exclusively in the Square Mile. My members, whose ages are mostly in excess of 65, many of whom have mobility issues, including blind members, simply cannot rely on public transport to get them to the venues and therefore utilise taxis to get them to their final destination, and certainly at the later end times, wish to do the same for personal safety reasons. The inability of black cabs to traverse Bank Junction is ludicrous, creating traffic jams elsewhere, causing more pollution and costing my members their time, money and frustration. What is worse, it is preventing them from choosing to attend. This means our charitable giving will suffer as a result. We have seen a high down turn in the numbers attending our events [due to] the inability to use cabs to get them to and from their destinations easily, making travel impossible. (Livery Company Clerk)
- As a female City worker I’m very much in favour of the campaign to ensure that black cabs can drive across the Bank Junction. I think it’s very important for both safety of women and vulnerable users, as well as providing access for those with mobility challenges. (Susan at Accenture)
- I work in the City of London & regularly use black cabs. I find it astonishing that Taxis are banned from Bank Junction during the day this ban increases my costs & time. Surely [Black Cabs] should be allowed thru Bank Junction as they are wheelchair accessible vehicles & know one wants anyone discriminated against in 2023. (Graham P)
- I work in the square mile, I have a nightmare trying to get a cab they’re all taken. We need more and we need full access for them. (Sue C)
- Our major shareholder of our financial services business is an elderly woman. She refuses to meet with us in the City and we now meet in the West End. (Business quote at recent meeting)
- Having spent my entire working life in the City of London, I support your initiative to allow cabs freer access. In one of the World’s most important financial and commercial centres it is ludicrous to make access as difficult as it is at present as this: is damaging to the area’s status; and actively and unfairly discriminates against the elderly and the disabled (Vaughan)
- Giving black cabs the same access as buses in Bank junction is vital. It’s key to making London ‘accessible’ for all, and means everyone can enjoy our great city without having to walk or cycle, something quite frankly not everyone can do. As a women living in London, the closing down of our streets is a real worry for mine and others safety. I want to be able to pick up a taxi at my door and be dropped right outside my destination but with these closures it’s makes it almost impossible to do so. Black cabs not only offer a key service to me but other passengers, tourists & workers alike, day & night. And with the majority above being electric (50% of the fleet are now electric) they are environmentally friendly and much greener for our city. The cabs also carry life saving emergency equipment with ‘Rapaid’ bandages onboard. Surely this warrants a free run of our city and being able to access its heart, Bank Junction? (Lynsey, ITV)
- I’m having trouble getting a taxi inside the Square Mile.
When I get a cab the drivers all say they keep away from the City as access is denied on major roads. Taxis are part of the City of London – why are the banned at Bank junction & Bishopsgate? (Graham C) - In the last couple of years, I have stopped travelling to get work in the City of London. This is due to the limited access and huge inevitable delays in other road around Bank Junction. Its just not worth the effort. I now tend to stay in the West End where there are less restrictions. On two occasions in the last year I have picked business passengers up in the West End and transported them to Hotels in the City of London. Both times I was I formed of the difficulty they experienced hailing a Taxi when in the City of London. One Customer said it took him 35 mins to get a Taxi the previous day. These business people said in future they would not stay in the City as the Taxi service was very poor. (William B)
We want to hear from more businesses and business users. Please ask others to contribute to this call for evidence.