FOI request detail

Freedom of Information request - Revocations

Request ID: FOI-2965-1920
Date published: 31 January 2020

You asked
Please disclose the following information, in 2019 the total number of Private hire driver revocations, and of that figure how many licences were revoked for Touting offences, plying for hire and how many licences were revoked due to sexual assaults

We answered

 

Our ref: FOI-2965-1920/GH

Thank you for your email received on 2 January asking about our regulation of private hire services in London.

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

In 2019 we revoked a total of 670 private hire driver licences, of these:

  • 3 were recorded as relating to touting
  • 7 were recorded as relating to plying for hire
  • 50 were recorded as relating to alleged sexual offences

This information was taken from our licensing database on 14 January 2020, please note that we report on the current status of a licence, therefore these figures are liable to change, for example as the result of legal proceedings. It should also be noted that this may not be an exhaustive record of touting or plying for hire revocations, as in some cases these may be recorded under other revocation classifications (if there were more than one reason for the revocation).

To ensure the safety of the travelling public, taxi and private hire drivers must meet a range of strict criteria to ensure they are of good character. This is assessed on the basis of an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check submitted as part of a licence application, information provided by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and any other information that comes to our attention.

With more than 109,000 licensed private hire drivers and more than 23,000 licensed taxi drivers in London, millions of taxi and private hire journeys are made every year. The vast majority pass without incident. We work with our partners in the police to crackdown on the minority who look to offend and always push for the toughest penalties possible.

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

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

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