TfL Ref: FOI-2559-2425

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 12^th November 2024 asking for information about Private Hire licence applications.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy.  

Specifically you asked:

“Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I am writing to request information regarding the processing times for Private Hire applications submitted to Transport for London (TfL) within the period from January 2024 to the present.

Given recent delays and the widespread impact on applicants, I seek to understand the efficiency of the application process and any possible issues affecting its operation.

Specifically, I am requesting:

The average processing time (in days) for Private Hire applications from the date of submission to the date of approval or rejection within the specified period.

The number of applications submitted monthly from January 2024 to the present.

A breakdown of individual processing times for all applications received from January 2024, showing the number of days each applicant has waited between submission and completion (approved or rejected).

Information on any significant disruptions to the processing of applications during this period, including any internal or external factors such as staffing shortages, technical issues, or cyber incidents that have impacted processing times.”

I can confirm that we hold the information you require. However, I am afraid that it is not possible to provide answers within the costs limit for responding to FOI cases, as set out under section 12 of the Freedom of Information Act. Under section 12, TfL is not required to provide information if it would cost more than £450 to determine if the requested information is held, and to then locate, retrieve or extract it from elsewhere. This is calculated at a rate of £25 per hour, equivalent to 18 hours work.

In this instance the exemption applies because there is no quick, efficient or automated way of calculating the average time to process applications. Rather, we would have to manually review each individual application to ascertain when it was submitted and when it was completed, and work out how long each such application took, and then calculate the average of all such applications combined. Given the numbers involved (we have received around 30,000 applications since January 2024) it is not possible to achieve this within the costs limit for any reasonable time period. 

Note that the licence application process is multi-staged and often iterative, which can involve requests for further information or clarity from applicants. There are a number of reasons why the processing of applications may take longer than expected. For example, the time required to process an application may increase as a consequence of any of the following, many of which are outside of TfL’s control:
 

• Applications being submitted but found to be incomplete or inaccurate

• Checking that an applicant meets the mandatory requirements for licensing, such as the right to work in the U.K, and that they hold the relevant driving licence and driving experience

• Consideration of the applicant’s medical fitness and whether they meet the DVLA’s Group 2 standard of medical fitness to drive. This may include a full review of the applicant’s medical history by our medical advisors

• Ensuring that the applicant’s character meets the required standard, including a review of the results of an enhanced DBS check

• The candidate successfully completing the required assessments of their topographical skills and safety, equality and regulatory understanding (SERU) and completed of an English language speaking and listening test

Further information on the requirements for licensing can be found at the following location: www.tfl.gov.uk/info-for/taxis-and-private-hire/licensing  For questions about the application process or further information about the status of your specific application you can contact our Taxi and Private Hire Team at [email protected]

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.

Yours sincerely,

David Wells

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London