Thank you for your email received by us on 3 April 2018 asking for information about our Taxi Delicensing Scheme.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold some of the information you require. You asked:

1. How effective the Taxi Delicensing Scheme is being at reducing air pollution?

The Taxi and Private Hire Action Plan, launched jointly by the Mayor and Transport for London (TfL) in September 2016, includes a commitment to introduce a delicensing scheme for the oldest taxis.

In the summer of 2017, TfL’s Taxi Delicensing Scheme opened for applications. We have made financial provision for up to 10,000 delicensing payments for older taxis (between ten and 15 years old).

Delicensing these 10,000 older taxis (in coordination with a policy on new licenses from 2018 that will see 9,000 ZEC taxis by the end of 2020) is estimated to lead to a reduction in nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions of about 450 tonnes per annum in 2020. This equates to a 45 per cent reduction in NOx emissions from taxis in London.

2. How many taxis have been taken off London's roads due to the scheme?

As of the 13 April 2018, 54 taxis have been delicensed through this scheme.

3. Whether TfL keeps records concerning the future use of these taxis. Are they scrapped or pressed into service in other parts of the country. If the latter, where?

Once a taxi has been delicensed, it can no longer operate within London as a licenced London taxi. We do not have access to information on whether a vehicle is being used elsewhere in the country.

4. How much the scheme has cost broken down into awards to drivers and administrative costs?

As of 13 April 2018, £127,100 has been paid in grants through the Taxi Delicensing Scheme. This represents payment for the 54 taxis delicensed to-date.

It has been estimated that £0.8m will be spent administering the scheme.

5. How much pollution has been removed from London?

We estimate the scheme has had a positive impact on London’s NOx emissions. On a proportional basis to the 2020 benefits estimate, the delicensing of 54 older taxis has reduced NOx emissions by about two tonnes per annum.

If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.

Yours sincerely

Jasmine Howard
FOI Case Officer
Information Governance
Transport For London