Since 14/03/18 to date, please provide me with the number of ‘new’ private hire driver applications received, and if costs permit please inform me, of that number, how many applicants hold private hire driver licences with another authority

---

Our ref: FOI-0252-1819/GH

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 26 April 2018 asking for information about new private hire driver licensees.

Your request has been considered under the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and our information access policy. I can confirm that we do hold the information you require.

Since 14/03/18 to date, please provide me with the number of ‘new’ private hire driver applications received

We regularly make licensing information available on our website and to trade bodies. General licensing information is available at the following location: www.tfl.gov.uk/info-for/taxis-and-private-hire/licensing/licensing-information, and new and renewal private hire licensee information for the last available quarter can be found here: www.tfl.gov.uk/info-for/taxis-and-private-hire/licensing/licensing-information. This information will be updated following the next quarterly private hire trade meeting.

Therefore in accordance with the FOI Act, TfL is not obliged to supply you with the contract you have requested as it is subject to a statutory exemption to the right of access to information, under Section 22 of the Act, as the information you have requested is intended for future publication.

This exemption is subject to a public interest test, which requires us to assess whether the public interest in applying the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure. In this instance, it is considered that the public interest favours the publication of this information, in context and according to the pre-determined schedule, rather than in response to your request, to ensure the information is provided accurately and in an accessible manner.

Please inform me, of that number, how many applicants hold private hire driver licences with another authority

When applying for a new licence, or to be relicensed as a private hire driver, applicants are asked if they have previously been licensed by Transport for London (TfL) or any other licensing authority. Although we hold this information, it is not possible to report on it without manually checking all private hire licensees who have indicated that they have been previously licensed by TfL or a separate licensing authority. Unfortunately manually checking this information would exceed the ‘appropriate limit’ of £450 set by the Freedom of Information (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004, under section 12 of the FOIA - we are not obliged to comply with a request if we estimate that the cost of determining whether we hold the information, locating and retrieving it and extracting it from other information would exceed the appropriate limit. This is calculated at £25 per hour for every hour spent on the activities described.

If you are not satisfied with this response please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.

Yours sincerely

Graham Hurt

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

Back to top

---