Under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and your Information Access Policy I would like to request the following information. According to your guidance published at https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/taxis-and-private-hire/licensing/private-hire-driver-licence, Private hire applicants are required to undertake a topographical skills assessment as part of their application. However, the following applicants may be exempt. • Previously licensed PHV drivers who have passed a topographical skills test • Licensed London taxi drivers - All London and Suburban • Professional London tourists guides (eg Blue Badge Driver Guide) • An individual who can provide TPH with evidence of a relevant vocational qualification in passenger transport (eg NVQ or equivalent) Can you please provide me the number of applicants who were exempted between the periods of January 2017 till March 2019 by proving an evidence of a relevant vocational qualification such as L2 BTEC Introduction to the Role of Professional Taxi & Private Hire Driver. I understand that you are required to respond to my request within the 20 working days after you receive this letter. I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing that you have received this request. I look forward to hearing from you. Yours faithfully Prakash Gautam

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TfL Ref: FOI-3500-1819

Thank you for your email received by Transport for London (TfL) on 20 March 2019, asking for information about Topographical Skills Assessments.

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

Can you please provide me the number of applicants who were exempted between the periods of January 2017 till March 2019 by proving an evidence of a relevant vocational qualification such as L2 BTEC Introduction to the Role of Professional Taxi & Private Hire Driver.  

Due to a change in how the data is recorded on our system, we can only provide the requested data from May 2017. In order to collate data prior to this date, we would have to manually review individual paper records to extract the information you require. This would exceed the ‘appropriate limit’ of £450 set by the Freedom of Information (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004. Under section 12 of the FOI Act, 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.

In the period between May 2017 and March 2019, a total of 2,164 applicants were exempt from sitting the topographical skills assessment by providing evidence of a relevant vocational qualification in passenger transport. Please note this figure includes applicants that would not have been licensed (for various reasons) or are still pending a licensing decision.

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.

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

Eva Hextall

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

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